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Indiana Fever star Sophie Cunningham shared a message about her faith on social media this week as the deadline for a new collective bargaining agreement looms over the WNBA.
Cunningham, who is set to become a free agent after his first season with the Fever was cut short due to injury, took to X to share a message encouraging his fans to “be bold and brave”.
Honorary pace car driver Sophie Cunningham attends pre-race ceremony activities prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway on November 2, 2025, in Avondale, Arizona. (James Gilbert/Getty Images)
“Jesus is King,” his Wednesday post read. “Remember to stay focused on what is true, right and just. Don’t give up [sic] in doing good. Be bold and brave!”
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The WNBA veteran has been open about her faith on social media in the past, often sharing similar messages on Instagram. His latest comments come amid ongoing negotiations with the league over a new collective bargaining agreement and with his own future in Indiana still up in the air.
Cunningham has been among the most outspoken players during negotiations, taking direct aim at WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert for alleged comments made about the league and one of its biggest stars, Caitlin Clark.
“I’m just tired of our league. They need to step up and be better. Our leadership from top to bottom needs to be held accountable. I think there are a lot of people in positions of power in the WNBA who could be really great businesspeople, but they don’t know shit about basketball. And that has to change,” Cunningham said during her exit interview last month.
Indiana Fever’s Sophie Cunningham (8) and Caitlin Clark (22) cheer from the bench against the Chicago Sky at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois on June 7, 2025. (Daniel Bartel/Getty Images)
“I think it’s pretty embarrassing that he always talks about her, Cathy, when it shouldn’t have anything to do with her,” he added of Engelbert.
CAITLIN CLARK CALLS FOR ‘GREAT LEADERSHIP,’ SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM DOUBLES ON CONDEMNATION OF WNBA COMMISSIONER
The comments stemmed from allegations made by WNBPA Vice President Napheesa Collier, claiming that Engelbert said in a private conversation that the former Iowa star should be “grateful” for the platform the league gives her during a conversation about salary concerns.
Engelbert disputed the claims, but talks over player pay and concerns about officiating in the league have delayed negotiations.
The players’ association and the WNBA agreed to an eight-year deal in 2020, but the WNBPA voted last year to end the deal early. The current agreement was due to expire on October 31, but negotiations were extended until November 30.
WNBA star and Missouri Tigers alum Sophie Cunningham is seen on the sidelines during an SEC football game between the Texas A&M Aggies and the Missouri Tigers at Memorial Stadium in Columbia, Missouri, on Nov. 8, 2025. (Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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A source familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press that the latest proposal included revenue sharing with a maximum salary of more than $1.1 million available to more than one player per team, with potential for growth each season.
The new league minimum would also increase to more than $220,000 with an average of more than $460,000.
Cunningham will become a free agent in 2026 after signing a one-year deal with Indiana last season. His first year with the Fever was cut short following a medial collateral ligament injury, which required season-ending surgery.
