It shocked just about everyone when Napheesa Collier turned her exit interview into a full-blown battle cry. “I just got to the point where I was fed up,” she admitted. Her words were so powerful that even Caitlin Clark called the moment “by far the most important in league history.” But was Collier’s speech just raw emotion, or was it a calculated move to turn the pressure up on the league and give Unrivaled a strategic advantage? That’s a debate still raging among fans. And now Sophie Cunningham is pouring more fuel onto that fire.

While talking to co-host West Wilson on her podcast Show Me Something, Sophie Cunningham revealed some interesting details: “This is kind of some tea. So, both of these girls (Phee and Stewie) great f——- players, right? Like, yeah, phenomenal. Can’t say enough good things about them on the court. But they’re also a part of our exec board. And so that could be a little conflict of interest because W and Unrivaled.”

Both Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart are vice presidents of the WNBPA. Now think about that for a second. One of the union’s key leaders has shaken the entire league by revealing her alleged private talks with Commissioner Cathy Engelbert, while name-dropping stars like Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers, and Angel Reese to publicly ramp up the pressure in CBA negotiations that’ve honestly been stalled since last year.

The league and union have since agreed to a 30-day extension. But what if they are unable to reach an agreement by then? What happens next? The most likely outcome would probably be a lockout, and who benefits the most if one were to occur? Unrivaled. A competition that’s seen a 10x rise in its valuation within a year of its inception, of course!

Wilson also points out in the same pod that Unrivaled runs for 9 weeks and is by no means a small league to begin with, potentially hinting at a scenario where they could expand even further to challenge the WNBA directly. That’s when Sophie Cunningham jumped back in, saying, “That’s why there’s some conflict of interest a little bit. So that’s interesting. But I will say I think it’s cool that they’re paying these players because now they’re allowed to stay stateside.”

For the founders, the mission behind Unrivaled was never to compete directly with the WNBA. It was to provide players with a genuine alternative during the offseason. A league where they can stay home, make good money, and avoid the physical and emotional toll of playing overseas.

With a total salary pool of $8 million, Unrivaled set a new standard…

It became the highest-paying professional women’s sports league in the world, offering an average salary in excess of $220,000 per player, plus equity shares for its founding members, which is precisely why Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart need WNBA players on board to keep it sustainable. Speaking of Sophie Cunningham, though… she’s been ripping headlines apart on the internet lately, and not for the reasons you might expect.

Sophie Cunningham Breaks the Internet After Meeting a Viral Personality

While last week officially belonged to Kyle Larson in Phoenix, clinching his second NASCAR Cup Series title after a dramatic overtime finish against Denny Hamlin, it was Sophie Cunningham and Sydney Sweeney who stole the show before the engines even roared to life.

Sophie Cunningham posted a photo with the Hollywood star, captioned: “One of us forgot our t— at home 😜 @sydney_sweeney.” That one line was enough to send the internet into a frenzy. Turns out, it was the crossover we never knew we needed. On her pod later, the WNBA ace admitted she wasn’t even sure if Sydney Sweeney knew who she was professionally. But it didn’t matter; the two hit it off instantly. Sophie even joked that she “could be best friends with her!”

Cunningham couldn’t suit up for Unrivaled this season because of her MCL injury, but who knows? Maybe she’ll be part of the 3v3 league next year. For now, her main priority is recovery. Still, she hasn’t exactly disappeared during her downtime. It’s quite the opposite. She has been enjoying the off-court life, attending headline events, including a recent Indiana Pacers game, as she and other WNBA players patiently wait for the final verdict on the CBA negotiations.