Cunningham Distances From WNBA Draft Protest Campaign

Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham has publicly distanced herself from the campaign of former NBA players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White, who declared for the WNBA draft in a protest over transgender athlete eligibility. In an interview with ESPN published on September 11, 2026, Cunningham stated she is focused on her team's playoff push and will not engage with their actions. "I'm gonna let them do them," Cunningham said. "I'm just focused on the Fever and on our sport. I think we have four more games left. I'm trying to just really dial in and keep the main thing the main thing." The controversy stems from Cunningham's earlier comments, reported in July, in which she expressed support for restricting transgender athletes from women's sports. Kanter Freedom and White subsequently declared their intention to join the WNBA, citing the league's eligibility criteria. According to an anonymous source familiar with the decision, the WNBA declined their draft declarations, though the league did not provide a public explanation for the ruling. Kanter Freedom has repeatedly invoked Cunningham's name during his protest.