When you think of WNBA superstars, Caitlin Clark is the first name that jumps to mind. She’s the face of the league, the headline-grabber, the one everyone talks about. But what if we told you another Indiana Fever player might have actually been more popular than her this year? Sounds impossible, right? Well… maybe not.

Google just released its annual “Year in Search,” revealing the 10 most-searched athletes in the U.S., and only one female athlete made the list. This time, it was Sophie Cunningham who landed at No. 7. And for those who remember last year’s list, that’s the exact same spot Caitlin Clark held in 2024’s “Year in Search.”

Since getting drafted by the Mercury in 2019, Sophie Cunningham has slowly built herself a strong, loyal fanbase. But everything changed last season when she landed in Indiana. The moment she put on that Fever jersey, her popularity shot up. She straight up became the personal bodyguard of her teammates, and the fans absolutely loved it.

Everyone remembers the moment Cunningham got ejected in the final minute of the fourth quarter after a brawl with Jacy Sheldon during the Fever–Sun game on June 17. After the game, she made her stance crystal clear: “I’m going to protect my teammates, that’s what I do, and I’m a team player.”

Her comment came after an earlier moment in the same game where Sheldon appeared to poke Caitlin Clark in the eye, which sparked its own big altercation. Watching Cunningham step up for Clark was enough for fans to rally behind her. And as the season went on, their bond only grew stronger. Soon, Cunningham, Clark, and Lexie Hull became known as the “Tres Leches,” a trio fans couldn’t get enough of.

Cunningham also kept grabbing headlines for the fines she was receiving from the W as well. She wasn’t afraid to call out the refs when she felt they weren’t doing their job, and that honesty cost her more than a few checks. On top of that, she launched her own YouTube podcast, where she shared unfiltered takes that went viral almost every week.

All of this, combined with the fact that fans didn’t see much of Caitlin Clark during her sophomore year in the W, helped push Cunningham’s popularity even higher.

Now, this isn’t to say Cunningham has suddenly become a bigger superstar than Caitlin Clark. Google search numbers alone can’t prove that. But it’s clear that a big part of her rise comes from being right beside Clark and always standing up for her. That said, Cunningham’s brand has taken off in its own right too,  and she deserves credit for that.

Recently, Cunningham grabbed even more attention after signing with Project B. She even revealed that she tried to get Caitlin Clark on board.

Sophie Cunningham tried to recruit Caitlin Clark to Project B

Project B has quickly positioned itself as a direct rival to Unrivaled, especially after promising equity and higher pay than the league founded by Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart. Big names like Nneka Ogwumike, Alyssa Thomas, Jonquel Jones, and Kelsey Mitchell have already signed on.

Cunningham was one of the latest stars to join, and she even revealed that she tried to bring Caitlin Clark along….but to no avail

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“I think there’s going to be a lot of people switching over,” Cunningham said on the December 4 episode of her Show Me Something podcast. Her co-host, West Wilson, jumped in with a playful line: “That’s right, Caitlin Clark! You have the W!” That’s when Sophie finally dropped the news. “I tried to get [Clark] to play in this [league], and she was like, ‘No!’”

No one really knows if Cunningham will be back with the Fever next season. She’s a free agent this offseason, and while Fever fans would love to see her return, the uncertainty around the new CBA means no one knows what the salary cap will look like until a deal is finalized. And if she doesn’t come back, fans will definitely miss the chemistry she shared with Caitlin Clark.