Sophie Cunningham Calls For Adam Silver to Change WNBA Leadership Amidst Identity Crisis

Sophie Cunningham just wanted to express her support for women’s sports. But in doing so, she invariably started a discourse that may not leave the WNBA any time soon.

It so happens that her stance to ‘protect women’s sports’ from biological men gave those who support that movement enough ammunition to restart their narratives.

Even though the league has no trans athlete playing, it raises questions as to why this has been made into such a big deal. However, there is no escaping the fact that not having proper eligibility criteria is why critics are out for the league.

Then, when two former NBA players expressed their desire to join the women’s league, it threw this entire discourse surrounding its eligibility criteria into overdrive.

So far, Commissioner Cathy Engelbert formed a task force to clarify its eligibility criteria, but has not come to an agreement. This has added fuel to the fire that the WNBA is panning towards the desires of a few, while not protecting its women.

You do have to have a person in power who is bold, who is confident, who wants the best for the players and not maybe for themselves all the time… So I do feel like, as a whole, that could be a position that’s maybe open at the end of the year, but that’s not my call…  That’s up to Adam Silver at the end of the day.

Sophie Cunningham told USA Today

The just-turned 30-year-old added that Engelbert has done a lot of good for the WNBA. However, Sophie Cunningham believes that the league wants to move forward, and Adam Silver needs to appoint a leader who is not afraid to put their foot down.

Sophie Cunningham slams hypocritical fans and media

While the need for a new Commissioner is probably on the cards after the numerous gaffes this season, Sophie Cunningham also brought to light how the fans and the media are also responsible for this mess.

People are like, ‘You have a platform. Use it,’ and then once you use it, it’s like, ‘Go back to playing basketball.’ I think the reason why I stated that is because you go into media, and it’s not anything even about basketball… We can be a great example of how to do both.

Cunningham told USA Today

She added that the media deliberately chooses to focus on the trending hot topics and building narratives. Instead, there should be a balance that also includes questions about her Indiana Fever or basketball in general.

Cunningham believes that as a player, she should be able to answer both those questions. But the sheer lack of basketball-related content even among the WNBA’s media rights partners is baffling. Then, when those same media outlets question a player’s stance, it begs the question of why they do it.

Sophie Cunningham is not going to stop talking about what she believes in

After tearing into the WNBA’s media, as she has been doing in the past few interviews, Sophie Cunningham then pivoted to how these narratives and criticisms are not going to stop her from speaking up about what she believes in.

When you do have so many eyes on you… that people can use your words for the positive. People can weaponize your words. So that’s just how people are. That’s how human nature is. So, that’s not gonna make me dim my light any more

Cunningham added

The Missouri native reiterated while speaking with Meghan L. Hall that what other people do with her words is out of her control. Of course, that means the said player, or herself in this situation, has to be measured in what she says.

But if she keeps adhering to how people want her to be, Sophie Cunningham believes that she will ‘lose herself.’ That is why she is not trying to control everything.

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