Sophie Cunningham may not yet know where she’ll be playing for the 2026 WNBA season, but she landed a new broadcasting role for the upcoming season.
USA Network added Cunningham to their coverage team for 2026. Cunningham will be a contributor for studio coverage here and there throughout the season. USA Network will showcase 50 regular season games, on top of hosting WNBA playoffs and Finals games as a part of the league’s new media deal passed last September. The network’s big draw will be weekly doubleheaders on Wednesdays throughout the season.
Cunningham’s decision doesn’t come as a big surprise. The WNBA star spoke with Sports Illustrated last month all about her passion for broadcasting and how she hopes to make a career in the field once she’s done playing professional basketball. Cunningham isn’t expected to retire before the 2026 season, but this new gig could be seen as a way for her to transition into a broadcasting role one day.
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“I just love sports. I love talking to people and learning their stories. I love the ‘why,’” Cunningham told SI. “When I get asked to [commentate] for basketball, I know the game, I have the IQ for it. I see plays, I see why they do different schemes. You get to break down these elite level players and why they do what they do. I find it so fascinating, and I understand it. And, for some reason, people like to hear me break it down.
“Maybe there’s going to be a career there when I’m done playing basketball that that’s what I’ll get right into,” Cunningham continued. “I’m excited for that.”
It’s unknown at this time how many games Cunningham will contribute to this season.
Sophie Cunningham free agency timeline
Cunningham was traded to the Fever last offseason after spending the first six seasons of her career with the Mercury. She seemed to click well with Indiana’s players, such as Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell. However, her season ended prematurely after she tore her MCL in August.
Now, Cunningham is an unrestricted free agent. Negotiations will begin on Wednesday, and the Fever will likely try to work out a new contract with the guard. Cunningham won’t be able to sign a new contract with the Fever, or another WNBA team, until Saturday, April 11.
Cunningham isn’t the only free agent from the 2025 Fever roster. The other stars include Lexie Hull, Kelsey Mitchell and Natasha Howard. We’ll see which players will return to Indiana this season and who will land elsewhere.
Regardless of where Cunningham lands this upcoming season, she’s expected to receive a major pay increase, much like the rest of the league thanks to the WNBA’s new collective bargaining agreement. Her salary with the Fever last year was set at $100,000.
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