Phoenix Mercury Defender Sophie Cunningham makes a strong statement both on and off the pitch.
With a 74-66 win over the Atlanta Dream on Tuesday night, the Mercury secured their team’s 14th playoff appearance in the last 16 seasons, but Cunningham was already making headlines after one of her pregame tantrums went viral on social media last week.
Sophie Cunningham, No. 9 of the Phoenix Mercury, arrives before the game against the Atlanta Dream at the Footprint Center in Phoenix on September 3, 2024. (Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images)
The Veteran WNBA player made waves in a “Love Island”-inspired dress that revealed her summer tan lines before the Mercury’s game against the New York Liberty on Aug. 26. A select few fans on social media criticized the look, but Cunningham told Fox News Digital in an interview Wednesday that the outfit was definitely mommy-approved.
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“I was just talking to someone and said, ‘Actually, my mom picked out this outfit,'” Cunningham said, laughing.
“Everyone comments on my comments like, ‘Oh, your parents -‘ and I say, actually that was my mom’s doing. But no, I had no idea,” she added when asked if she thought the tan line reveal would be so controversial.
However, Cunningham interprets the attention as a sign of the times; the WNBA has seen record viewership and attendance numbers this season, and fans are now showing more interest not only in the game but also in the players.
MERCURY’S SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM ignites SOCIAL MEDIA REACTION FOR HER PRE-MATCH OUTFIT
“I think it’s really super cool that people are now interested in what we do off the court. Our tunnel fits were kind of a fashion show and people are so excited and curious to see what we’re going to wear.”
Sophie Cunningham, No. 9 of the Phoenix Mercury, arrives before the game on September 1, 2024 at the Footprint Center in Phoenix. (Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images)
Cunningham has continued to make waves with her pre-game outfits since then, even telling Fox News Digital that her planned outfit for Thursday’s game against the Washington Mystics will be “lively”.
“I will say that tomorrow I actually have a new outfit that I haven’t made yet, and it represents Quest, and it’s going to be spirited, it’s going to be sassy, and hopefully it’ll turn some heads,” she said.
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Cunningham recently partnered with Quest Nutrition to launch a new line of bakery-inspired, high-protein snacks.
Sophie Cunningham, No. 9 of the Phoenix Mercury, reacts to an out-of-bounds decision during the game against the New York Liberty at the Footprint Center on August 26, 2024 in Phoenix. (Chris Coduto/Getty Images)
“As a professional athlete, it’s super, super important how you fuel your body… for anyone really, it’s a way of life,” she said of her motivation to participate. “I just think Quest does a phenomenal job of making sure you’re eating well and fueling your body well, but still not sacrificing the taste and not feeling guilty about maybe eating two of these brownies in one sitting.”
Phoenix hosts Washington on Thursday at 10 p.m. ET.
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