Sophie Cunningham hires 24/7 security after months of controversy

Sophie Cunningham is now one of the biggest names in the WNBA.

But like any other star athlete, Sophie also had someone who helped shape her overall approach to the game.

For Cunningham, that person was not a big-name professional or a prominent figure in the sport.

It was her older sister, Lindsey.

Back in 2015, Sophie made a surprising admission about the people who inspired her during her journey.

Even as she emerged as one of Missouri's brightest basketball prospects, Sophie was not looking towards the WNBA for someone to emulate.

Instead, she found inspiration from someone who was already part of her life.

According to Sophie, Lindsey has always been her only idol and the only person she looked up to in her career.

“This is going to sound bad, but I really did not have any role models outside of my sister,” Sophie told Columbia Missourian.

“My work ethic, it came from her,” she added, crediting her older sister.

“I want her work ethic.

I think I could be 10 times the player if I had her work ethic.”

Lindsey paved the way for Sophie.

That honest statement was a remarkable compliment, especially knowing that Sophie would eventually rewrite Missouri's record books.

However, Sophie was not done expressing how much Lindsey's mentorship and example meant to her.

Being the first to make it to Missouri's program, Lindsey had already experienced the challenges Sophie would eventually face as a player.

By guiding Soph, the big sister gave her younger sister a valuable head start.

Their paths eventually converged at the University of Missouri, where Lindsey played before Sophie joined the Tigers in 2015.

The older Cunningham's experience helped make the transition much easier for her younger sister, something Soph has always acknowledged.

“She's the guinea pig, pretty much,” Sophie said of Lindsey.

“She does everything, and then she tells me.

That's why I'm here today.

She seriously does everything for me, and then I just come in.”

The elder Cunningham only averaged 4.2 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game during her stint with the Tigers.

However, Sophie never based her admiration for Lindsey on the stats.

“I know she hasn't gotten the amount of awards I have, but honestly, she is the one who got me here,” Sophie added.

Lindsey believed Sophie did it by herself.

It was no surprise that the praise and admiration were never a one-way street.

Sophie has openly given Lindsey her flowers, and for her part, she never failed to acknowledge her younger sibling's accomplishments.

This revelation comes at a time when Sophie Cunningham is under an intense spotlight.

According to multiple reports, Cunningham has hired 24/7 security after months filled with controversy.

The WNBA guard has been at the center of public debate throughout the 2026 season.

She made headlines when she provided a simple message about protecting women's and girls' sports in the middle of the 2026 season.

“I got a lot of negative feedback about me hating trans.

And I'm like, 'I never on...'” she said, according to Fox News.

The controversy did not stop there.

Cunningham also reshared a post-election message from entrepreneur Andy Frisella after Democrats reclaimed the House and Senate from Republicans in the midterm elections.

The post argued that "personal excellence is the Ultimate Rebellion."

Cunningham shared Frisella's post on her Instagram Stories on Wednesday.

“One of the strangest things about our culture is how much faith we've placed in elections to change our lives and how little faith we've placed in our own ability to do the same,” Frisella's post read.

“People will spend months arguing about who should lead the country while spending zero time considering how they could better lead themselves … and THAT is a much bigger problem than most people realize.”

President Donald Trump gave her a shoutout at a rally in Ohio last month.

Cunningham shied away from entering the political fray as the midterm races heated up.

On the court, the drama has also been intense.

DiJonai Carrington was ejected after her foul on Sophie Cunningham was upgraded to Flagrant 2 as Indiana Fever defeated Chicago Sky 90-86.

Former NBA center Enes Kanter Freedom was removed during a WNBA game after an incident.

According to MARCA, no one benefited more than Sophie Cunningham from the WNBA transgender controversy, with record-breaking numbers revealed.

Fashion Times UK reported that Cunningham called out guys who think they could crush WNBA stars, asking: "Why Do Men Have That Mindset?"

She also challenged Theo Von to a 1-on-1, saying "I'm skunking him."