After Colin Kaepernick took a knee during the national anthem, within a year, he had a book deal and a Nike ad campaign. Publishers understood something that hasn’t changed since: an athlete at the center of a genuine culture war is a guaranteed audience, and guaranteed audiences get book deals. Nearly a decade later, Sophie Cunningham is reportedly about to test that same theory.
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Page Six Hollywood’s Ian Mohr broke the news exclusively:
“Indiana Fever star Sophie Cunningham is shopping a book, publishing sources exclusively tell Page Six Hollywood,” Mohr reported. “The 6-foot-1 guard — who has 3.7 million followers on Instagram — could find herself at the center of a bidding war, we hear, with the timely tome.”
The controversy began in July, when Cunningham voiced support in an ESPN profile for barring transgender girls and women from women’s sports. “I want to protect young girls in a locker room,” she told ESPN. “Or young girls in sport who shouldn’t have to go against biological men.”
The comments triggered protests outside Fever road games. Protesters held signs reading “Protect trans women” alongside supporters carrying signs reading “Thank you Sophie,” and the fallout led to the WNBA suspending a Seattle Storm co-owner over a courtside demonstration connected to the controversy.
Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve wore a shirt reading “Trans kids belong” on the sideline during a nationally covered matchup against Cunningham’s Fever.
Sophie Cunningham wasn’t ready to talk about it, saying. “I’m going to let people just do the speaking for themselves, but for me, I want to get back to basketball. It’s always been about basketball. That interview happened in March.”
She also pushed back: “I got a lot of negative feedback about me hating trans. And I’m like, ‘I never once said that.’ I think that I am here to extend love.” In a follow-up interview on USA Network, she reiterated her stance: “I have a clear and strong perspective on this. With that being said, I know that people are not always going to align and agree. I totally understand that. I just hate that the basketball of it all is getting overshadowed.”
Cunningham’s comments led to more controversy. Former NBA player Enes Kanter said: “After careful consideration and reviewing the current eligibility guidelines, I’m officially declaring myself a WNBA prospect. If simply declaring who you are is all that’s required, then I meet every single requirement necessary to compete in the WNBA.”
Royce White also announced that he’s declaring for the 2027 draft: “Right now I’m just having a blast in my feminine era,” White said live on TV. “I never thought that I was a woman. … but after further review and a strong look at my personal preferences, it would appear that I am indeed sometimes identifying as a transgender woman.”
The WNBA’s 2026 collective bargaining agreement states that “only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA.” However, according to Fox News’ review of the document, it is not specific for transgender or intersex athletes.
Commissioner Cathy Engelbert addressed it, writing, “I know many of you have received questions in recent weeks regarding transgender athlete participation in women’s basketball, and I expect this topic will continue to receive significant attention.”
The Bidding War and Why Publishers Are Reportedly Circling Now
Cunningham entered this controversy as one of the WNBA’s most recognizable and outspoken personalities. A 3-and-D player known for physicality on the court, a popular podcast host on “Show Me Something,” and someone with a documented history of speaking bluntly regardless of league fines.
She has been fined multiple times by the WNBA for her on-air commentary. Including three separate fines related to comments about officiating. Her willingness to publicly criticize the league, including a viral moment where her sister Lindsey called out the WNBA’s officiating standards on her behalf, has built her a media profile.