For six years, the Phoenix Mercury was home for Sophie Cunningham. So when the opportunity came to leave everything behind for the Indiana Fever, the decision was far more emotional than many realized. But despite how homely Phoenix felt for Cunningham, there were still certain individuals within the organization that she didn’t take much liking to.  

As she said on her Show Me Something podcast, “There are some people. Like when I played in Phoenix last year, there were some people I did not like.” In fact, according to her, she made sure to let them know when Indiana faced Phoenix last year. “I played well in that game, and I, like, just looked at some people and was like, ‘f*** you,’ because I just had to like get it off. Like I looked right at them in the eyes and said, ‘F*** you guys.’”

According to Sophie Cunningham, she had a very good relationship with the front office in Phoenix. In fact, there was a possibility that she could have spent her entire WNBA career with the franchise. “I had been there for, you know, six years, and so I was really close with the management, pretty much everyone who worked there,” Cunningham said.

And so, by virtue of that relationship, her departure was quite amicable. The Phoenix front office explained their position, what the trade involved, and she agreed to it. In fact, she was quite excited by the decision because, as she put it, “I can get back to the Midwest. I miss my family, I miss my friends, I miss the vibes of the Midwest.”

The trade that sent Sophie Cunningham to Indiana was part of a massive four-team deal involving the Phoenix Mercury, Dallas Wings, and Connecticut Sun. The move is one of the largest trades in WNBA history. Specifically, the Indiana Fever received Sophie Cunningham and a 2025 second-round pick from Phoenix, as well as Jaelyn Brown from Dallas. The Dallas Wings received forward NaLyssa Smith from Indiana, while the Connecticut Sun received a 2025 first-round pick from Indiana.

As for Phoenix, they used that trade to completely rebuild their core by acquiring two perennial All-Stars and veteran depth. Specifically, they brought in Satou Sabally from Dallas and Alyssa Thomas from Connecticut. They also brought veteran center Kalani Brown and guard Sevgi Uzun from Dallas.

But while Sophie Cunningham was initially excited about this trade, she became quite emotional about it when the reality of the move set in. In her exact words, “I was like, what am I doing. Finally, I have my people here, I’m like, creating kind of a name and business here in Arizona, I’m making good money.” But as she explained, leaving was a big risk, and it felt very scary at that point. “But that is like the time when you start to blossom, and so I’m so grateful that I did it,” she said.

So far, it’s safe to say that the trade ended up being a good choice for Sophie Cunningham. She became a vital part of the Fever’s 2025 rotation, averaging 8.6 points and 3.5 rebounds. She won the Commissioner’s Cup with the team, which also reached the WNBA playoff semifinals. And of course, she also re-signed another contract to continue with the Indiana Fever for the 2026 season. And maybe, she might even get to stay beyond that.

Sophie Cunningham Explains Why Leaving Phoenix Was Necessary for Her Growth

“There are specific players who will start their career with one team and end their career with the same exact team.” According to Sophie Cunningham, that’s not always the best thing for a player’s growth. And as she said herself, “I think I have the potential to do that in Phoenix if I wanted to.” 

And while she admittedly became emotional about leaving, part of her also felt that staying might have made her too comfortable and relaxed as a player. As she explained, “I think sometimes when you’re in that type of spot, and you get too comfortable and like you don’t really, you’re just too comfortable.” For her, getting overly comfortable in such an environment can become limiting. “You can’t reach your max potential,” Sophie said. “You can’t grow, but just not to where maybe you could grow if you go somewhere different, right?”

Seeing how things have unfolded since then, it’s safe to say that Sophie Cunningham has significantly grown both as a player and public figure since being traded from the Phoenix Mercury to the Indiana Fever in February 2025. While her professional identity was formed during her six seasons in Phoenix, her move to Indiana has enabled her to reach new career milestones and expand her overall profile off the court.

In her first season with the Fever in 2025, Cunningham recorded career-high shooting percentages. She hit 46.9% from the field and 43.2% from three-point range. She also averaged 8.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game during the season. That surpassed the career averages of 7.9 points and 2.8 rebounds per game she established during her time in Phoenix. And off the court, she also successfully expanded into broadcasting as a WNBA analyst while additionally appearing in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue.

In short, as it turns out, leaving Phoenix  appears to have been the right decision for Sophie Cunnigham. So it’s quite hard to argue against her point.