Sophie Cunningham spent part of her offseason somewhere she rarely stands during the year: behind a microphone.
The Indiana Fever guard recently stepped into a commentary role for Grand Try, a social media sports series produced by Quest Nutrition that features players from the United States men’s and women’s national rugby teams competing in athletic challenges.
It’s not a career change. Cunningham remains firmly focused on the WNBA. But the experience offered a preview of something she may want to pursue once her playing days are over.
Right now, the timing is interesting. Cunningham is navigating an offseason filled with uncertainty, both for herself and the league.
She finished the 2025 WNBA season with the Indiana Fever and is currently a free agent. At the same time, the WNBA and the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) are negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement, a process that could influence contracts and roster decisions ahead of the 2026 season.
The negotiations could reshape salaries, benefits, and player movement across the league.
Sophie Cunningham’s broadcasting experiment started before this offseason
This isn’t Cunningham’s first exposure to sports media.
During previous offseasons, she worked in a broadcast role connected to the Phoenix Suns, gaining experience discussing NBA games and breaking down plays on camera. The work sparked something she didn’t necessarily expect.
Cunningham enjoys explaining sports.
In interviews, she has talked about how analyzing strategy and reading the flow of a game comes naturally to her. She likes digging into the reasoning behind decisions players make on the court and translating that to viewers.
That curiosity carried over into Grand Try, even though rugby was unfamiliar territory.
She admitted she knew little about the sport before accepting the role. Instead of seeing that as a problem, she treated it like part of the assignment: learn quickly, stay engaged and keep the commentary entertaining.
Speaking to Sports Illustrated, she described the experience as one of the highlights of her offseason.
“It’s one of the cooler things I’ve done this offseason…
She explained that the rugby players quickly turned competitive during filming, which made the commentary feel natural and energetic.
The rugby series that brought Cunningham into the booth
Grand Try features athletes from Team USA Rugby competing in a variety of challenges designed for social media audiences.
The format blends athletic competition with personality-driven moments, something that has become increasingly common in modern sports content.
Cunningham’s role is to narrate the action, react to the athletes and keep the pace moving.
For someone known for her intensity and communication on the basketball court, the transition feels natural. Teammates and fans have long recognized her as one of the more vocal players during games.
In a broadcast setting, that same energy becomes part of the storytelling.
Her interest in commentary also extends beyond basketball. Cunningham played soccer competitively until college and has said she would enjoy analyzing that sport as well, along with baseball, football and even more rugby.
A complicated offseason across the WNBA
Cunningham’s broadcasting opportunity comes during a pivotal moment for the WNBA.
League officials and the Women’s National Basketball Players Association are currently negotiating a new CBA that could significantly affect player compensation and league economics.
Reports around the negotiations have pointed to March 10 as an important deadline to avoid disruption to the upcoming season. The agreement could shape the financial structure of the league for years to come.
For Cunningham, the situation adds another layer of uncertainty. After spending the 2025 season with the Indiana Fever, she entered WNBA free agency and has not yet announced where she will play next season.
Where this side project could lead
For now, Cunningham remains focused on continuing her career in the WNBA.
Still, the broadcasting experience hints at a possible direction for the future. Many former athletes move into media roles once their playing careers end, particularly those who combine strong personalities with a deep understanding of the game.
Cunningham appears to be building those skills early.
The microphone may only be part of her offseason routine today. But if her interest in commentary keeps growing, it could become a much larger part of her career later on.
Information in this article is based on publicly available reporting and interviews with Sophie Cunningham published by Sports Illustrated, along with verified details regarding WNBA collective bargaining negotiations and information about the Quest Nutrition Grand Try series.
Read the full article here
