Sophie Cunningham shuts down 'dumb' internet fury over Team USA no-shows

Sophie Cunningham, a shooting guard for the Indiana Fever, has publicly questioned why WNBA players miss so many wide-open layups.

She did not hold back.

“Why do we miss so many wide open layups? It’s a joke. What the f–k is that?”

Cunningham said, according to a report from Fox News published in the Mezha.net article.

The comment was part of a broader “Nightcaps” column that covers sports and culture stories.

Cunningham’s frustration echoes a criticism that has followed the WNBA for years: the league’s players sometimes struggle with basic finishing around the rim.

Layups are considered the highest-percentage shot in basketball.

Missing them, especially when unguarded, is a fundamental error that coaches at every level try to eliminate.

Cunningham is known for speaking her mind.

She became a lightning rod last summer after making comments supporting the separation of biological males and females in sports and locker rooms.

That stance drew intense backlash online, but she has also positioned herself as someone in the political “middle,” agreeing with arguments from both sides of the aisle.

Her layup comment is not a political statement.

It is a technical critique of the sport she plays professionally.

But the timing of her remark coincides with another story in the same column that highlights a stark disparity in sports spending.

Dothan City Schools in Alabama is seeking a head football coach for Dothan High School’s Wolves program.

The school’s official Facebook post lists an annual salary of $150,000 to $180,000.

That salary range is notable because it exceeds the base salary of many WNBA players.

The WNBA’s maximum base salary for veteran players in the 2025 season was around $250,000, but the league’s average salary is significantly lower, hovering around $120,000 to $130,000.

Rookie salaries start much lower, with first-round picks earning about $75,000 to $85,000 per year.

A high school football coach in Alabama can therefore earn more than a professional women’s basketball player in the top league in the world.

This is not a new observation.

Sports economists and women’s basketball advocates have long pointed out that the WNBA generates less revenue than the NBA or major college football programs, which limits player salaries.

But the direct comparison in the same news cycle — Cunningham calling out missed layups while a high school football job pays six figures — creates an uncomfortable juxtaposition.

Cunningham’s layup critique also comes amid a season of increased scrutiny on the WNBA.

The league has seen record viewership and attendance in recent years, driven partly by the arrival of rookie sensation Caitlin Clark.

Clark’s presence has drawn new fans and new attention to the league, but it has also intensified the spotlight on the quality of play.

Missed layups, sloppy turnovers, and inconsistent shooting have been frequent topics of debate among fans and commentators.

Cunningham’s blunt assessment is one of the first times a current player has publicly voiced that criticism in such direct terms.

It is one thing for fans or media to say the product needs improvement.

It is another for a player inside the league to say the same thing.

Her comment may resonate with fans who have made the same observation.

It may also frustrate teammates and peers who feel the league is unfairly judged by a different standard than men’s basketball.

The WNBA has long battled the perception that its players are less skilled than their male counterparts.

Supporters argue that the women’s game emphasizes different strengths — teamwork, fundamentals, and shooting — and that comparing it directly to the NBA is misguided.

But Cunningham is not comparing the WNBA to the NBA.

She is comparing WNBA players to the basic expectation of making an open layup.

That is a standard that applies at every level of basketball, from youth leagues to the pros.

The column also touched on other sports stories.

Curt Cignetti, head football coach at Indiana University, responded to the first College Football Playoff rankings.

He said the SEC gets favorable coverage from ESPN and its writers, while some two-loss Big Ten teams rank lower.

“SEC gets a lot of love from ESPN, you know, and all their writers that they don’t technically pay, but march to their drum,” Cignetti said.

“So, and that’s why you see all these SEC teams up there, you know, and some good two-loss teams from the Big Ten, not quite as high. But like I said, it’s all going to be it’s all going to be played out on the field.”