When Caitlin Clark hit the WNBA scene it was like a meteorite impacting the world of sports. The ponytail-wearing scoring assassin from Iowa owned 2024. However, in 2025, it was her teammate, Sophie Cunningham, who made the biggest year-over-year leap in online popularity.
Sophie Cunningham’s Search Popularity Exploded Beyond Caitlin Clark in 2025
According to Google’s newly released “Year in Search 2025” report, Cunningham ranked No. 7 among all U.S. athletes with the largest spike in search interest compared to 2024. In fact, Cunningham was the only woman to appear in the top 10, among names such as Shedeur and Shilo Sanders, boxing champ Terence Crawford, NBA rookie Cooper Flagg and NY Giants rookies Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo. The Angel Reese fans won’t like to hear that. The Clark fans will probably be a bit perplexed, despite the fact that the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year only played 13 games this season. How things change.
While Clark lets her celebrity work for itself, collecting huge bags for limited exposure off the court, Cunningham seeks out the fame and her podcast, along with her sex appeal, fashion and the platform she’s earned as Caitlin Clark’s enforcer has helped her popularity explode. The 6-foot-1 wing has found a lane and garnered what is probably the largest male fan base (ages 35 and up) of any WNBA player.
This is also a weird twist considering Clark herself finished No. 7 on the same list last year (2024). Although that list was more competitive in its formation because of the impact of Olympic athletes such as Simone Biles and Imane Khelif. It’s also important to understand that this ranking reflects trending growth. Google’s “Year in Search” highlights individuals whose search interest spiked consistently across the year.
So Cunningham’s placement indicated how interest in what she’s been doing surged throughout 2025. It was so significant that it placed her ahead of Clark for the year, which seems almost impossible for anyone in the league to do considering how often Clark’s name is mentioned on social media for any variety of reasons.
Sophie Cunningham Exploded In Online Popularity After Jacy Sheldon Fight
Fans offered some ideas about why Cunningham’s popularity seems to be slowly exceeding Clark’s.
“She’s better looking than CC, that’s why,” said one fan.
“Love to see our enforcer getting plenty of shine! You earned it Sophie!!!!,” one Fever fan responded.
Cunningham was a role player and veteran, known for her energy and shooting ability, who’s also pushing 30 years of age. She used the Cailtin Clark social media wars to her benefit and on June 17 everything changed. During an Indiana Fever–Connecticut Sun matchup in Indianapolis, Sun’s player Jacy Sheldon inadvertently poked Clark in the eye and Sheldon’s teammate, Marina Mabrey followed up with a shove of Clark.
That prompted Cunningham to go at Sheldon with extreme physical contact to the face and neck area. The crowd went crazy and that exchange set off a firestorm of social media opinion about players intentionally trying to hurt Clark, referees and the league’s failure to protect her. Racial undertones and offensive comments permeated throughout every post.
Sophie Cunningham Went Viral As Caitlin Clark Enforcer In 2025
The exchange resulted in a Flagrant 2, and ejection, but the moment instantly went viral on social media as Cunningham became known as the bodyguard and enforcer that Caitlin Clark fans have been craving for. Reports noted that Cunningham gained between 500,000 and 800,000 followers on TikTok and Instagram within a few days. That explosion in visibility helped thrust her into the top tier of trending athletes.
Cunningham and Clark spent the entire Indiana Fever playoff run on the sidelines. Even though they weren’t on the court, both women understood the assignment and were more than present and entertaining for the fans. They often interacted with referees and were very demonstrative on the court and active in planning strategy during timeouts. Indiana advancing to the WNBA semifinals and pushing the Las Vegas Aces to a decisive Game 5, kept both women and their team in the spotlight.
Lastly, Cunningham’s outspoken personality and free spirit ways helped to amplify her brand, charm and appeal. Cunningham has been an outspoken advocate for CC and women’s basketball. At one point, she blasted the officiating and league leadership, doubling down on Napheesa Collier’s comments about the WNBA commissioner’s lack of leadership by calling Cathy Engelbert “the most delusional leader our league has seen,” during another daily defense of Clark.
Sophie Cunningham Has Plans To Expand Brand Outside Of Basketball
Cunningham hasn’t signed another deal with the Indiana Fever yet, and while the collective bargaining saga continues to bring uncertainty to next season, Cunningham has signed a deal with the new Project B league that will travel internationally during the WNBA offseason and pay an average salary of $2M. Cunnigham has also expressed interest in modeling for Victoria’s Secret and walking the runway same as Reese did.
Her social media numbers tell it all.
