WNBA star Sophie Cunningham is questioning the very legitimacy of an Olympic sport after a cheating scandal erupted in the world of curling.

On her podcast Show Me Something, when her co-host West Wilson exclaimed, ‘Did you see that? They think Canada’s cheating. Everyone thinks Canada’s cheating.” To which she replied, “Yes,” later adding a censored expletive, calling them “a**holes.”

The game in question was between Sweden and Canada at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympic Games. During their Feb. 13 face-off, the Swedish team accused Canadian curler Marc Kennedy of cheating, according to NPR.

The match officials didn’t intervene as they detected no foul play, but the Swedish team was persistent with their claims. According to the Swedes, Kennedy was guilty of “double touching” the stone after it went over the hog line, and the rules of the game clearly state that players must release the stone before crossing that line, and any contact after that point is considered a violation.

Kennedy naturally did not take kindly to such accusations when his integrity was questioned, and he ended up using profanities at Swedish curler Oskar Eriksson.

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Coming back to Cunningham, she didn’t stop at reacting to the controversy.

She made a remark that questioned the legitimacy of the sport. “I was just about to say I don’t understand the curling. I don’t understand how it’s like, like what makes something first a sport and not a hobby, and second, what makes it, who qualifies it as an Olympic sport?” said Sophie Cunningham.

She further added, “I’m just wondering what makes it a sport or a hobby. Like I’m actually being very curious. There’s unique sports in the Summer Olympics too and I think that’s a valid question of what makes it a sport.”

Now, curling is different from any other sport in every way, and that is true, but the sport has a long, refined history. It first came into existence in 1924 during the first Winter Olympics in Chamonix, but it only came back officially in the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano.

Sophie Cunningham’s world is different, and her sport is completely diverse, so it’s understandable that she doesn’t get the game. But like every other sport, this game too requires skill and concentration. And the Fever star understands that, making it clear she meant no disrespect.

“And I’m not discrediting these athletes because I know I couldn’t do what they’re doing. But I just like, I watch some of these things, and I’m like, okay, how or like why?” she explained. She was simply expressing genuine curiosity and, true to her personality, didn’t hold back.

In fact, a few of her takes lately have been conversation-worthy, including one she previously shared about Los Angeles.

LA Isn’t for Sophie Cunningham

Los Angeles may be the entertainment capital of the world, but if you ask Sophie Cunningham, it’s just not her kind of place.

Earlier this week, Cunningham stirred conversation with candid comments about her experience in Los Angeles. 

“So, I promise you I’m not being judgmental because I think there’s a place for legit everyone, and some people thrive in different areas. I don’t think I’m an LA girl,” Cunningham said on TikTok. 

“Like, at all. It’s just weird. People don’t dance. People don’t even like say, ‘Hi.’ They have no personalities. They have no personalities, and they all look the same. It’s weird. Please tell me that’s not weird.”

She later clarified that her thoughts weren’t meant to dismiss anyone’s choices. Sophie Cunningham said that while she appreciated how influencers on platforms like Instagram and TikTok have found ‘a space’ where they can be themselves, she also questioned whether it was concerning if they struggled to speak to people or maintain eye contact in person. 

LA may be the home of Hollywood and a hub for content creators, influencers, and big-money opportunities. But the culture and social dynamics there can feel impersonal to those outside that space. 

Now, unless Cunningham plans to build her post-basketball career in LA, she’s entitled to her perspective. It might feel like a pointed take for LA loyalists, but if there’s one thing about Cunningham, she has never been one to filter her opinions or shape them to fit the crowd.