When Amber Cox sat in front of the media during her exit interview, she was flooded with questions about the franchise’s offseason decision-making, like everyone before her. But as general manager, she faced more questions than others, and one of them concerned the future of Sophie Cunningham.
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The Indiana Fever star had spent recent months at the center of a controversy that has yet to die down. However, Cox clarified that outside conversations and factors wouldn’t affect the team’s decisions about their bench star. However, the Fever then fired Cox on Friday, on the same day team president Kelly Krauskopf announced she was stepping down from the position. When Cunningham was asked about the firing, she went candid.
“I have nothing but great things to say about them,” Cunningham told reporters while appearing at Sports Illustrated Circuit Series, via the Yahoo Sports TikTok account. “Hopefully, the Fever come in and bring people who can do a really good job with that program. I was blessed to be under Kelly and Amber, and I wish them the very best. We’ll see what happens.”
That certainly signaled an uncertainty about her own future in Indiana. While an overhaul was expected in Indiana, Cox’s firing was sudden. Krauskopf had a direct hand in Cox’s hiring in October 2024. With a leadership void in the front office, Indiana’s first task will be to find replacements for Cox and Krauskopf before the team starts making offseason roster moves.
“There was not a lot of warning, and that’s okay,” Cunningham added. “I think that’s probably a good thing that you kind of keep it in-house a little bit. But you know what? Kelly and Amber, they’re phenomenal, phenomenal people. They cared a lot about us as players and as individuals outside the court.”
Cunningham came to Indiana on a one-year contract, which made her an unrestricted free agent once the 2026 season ended. While the Fever have their own roster issue to take care of, Cox’s assessment of Cunningham’s time in Indiana was very positive. She praised the Fever player’s leadership in the locker room.
“Sophie’s had two really productive years for us in terms of shooting the basketball,” Cox said of Cunningham. “She is a really solid leader in the locker room, a great connector. You know, she brings levity, but also brings a lot of experience. She’s serious and is an important voice in our locker room when we need it, when we really need to lock in. So again, she’s an unrestricted free agent, so we look forward to having those conversations.”
The outside controversy did not mar Cox’s high praise for Cunningham. In July, Cunningham told ESPN that she didn’t believe “young girls” should have to play against “biological men.” Her comments sparked a wider debate about transgender participation. Trans activists stood outside arenas with placards protesting Cunningham’s comments.
Things quickly turned political when former NBA players Enes Kanter and Royce White jumped in and declared for the WNBA draft. They pressured the WNBA to define the term “women” in the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Republican lawmakers have also demanded that Cathy Engelbert explain why Kanter and White were not eligible to play in the WNBA if they identified as women.
While her future in Indiana remains under the microscope, Cunningham’s has gotten busy with her week-long schedule. Her first stop was in Austin, Texas. The Fever star arrived at the Sports Illustrated Circuit Series rocking an olive-brown high-neck top, brown trousers, and a matching cowboy hat for the event.
Previously, she revealed that she is planning to go on Dancing with the Stars with her sister Lindsey Cunningham. The Fever player also had meetings in LA and New York. Who knows? She might be in search of her next WNBA team.