WNBA star Sophie Cunningham can’t help but steal the spotlight with her signature sass, beauty, and, of course, fierce play.

So, it’s been a welcome relief for millions who still revere commonsense when Cunningham used her enormous platform to defend women’s sports. In a normal world, this wouldn’t even be news, but we aren’t living in normal times. The young basketball player’s willingness to defy the always-ready-to-pounce angry mob was badly needed, especially for young women and girls who’ve been too intimidated by social backlash to stick up for themselves and their fellow female athletes.

In a nutshell, Cunningham made nationwide news by saying, while she loves everyone, she simply doesn’t agree that biological males should compete in female sports.

As we’ve seen countless times already, it’s supremely unfair, highly dangerous, and in some instances, with truly bad actors, it is downright sinister.

After the immediate and inevitable backlash following Cunningham’s pro-women message, she continued to stand her ground.

“It’s common sense…it’s really important to protect children; that’s little girls also involved in that category. I stand on what I said,” she told the media.

🚨 JUST IN: Leftists are now accusing Sophie Cunningham of being a Republican after she tripled down on saying “NO MEN IN WOMEN’S SPORTS”

“It’s common sense…it’s REALLY important to protect children, that’s little girls also involved in that category. I stand on what I said.”… pic.twitter.com/8mB99FrRVK

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) July 23, 2026

The WNBA star’s courage is still resonating through the interwebs, and it appears to be affecting girls who look up to her.

Take high school athlete Briley Lechner, who praised Cunningham for her contagious courage.

“I know what it’s like to have your voice on this treated like it’s hateful. It isn’t. Wanting a fair game and a private locker room was never hate. It’s just the truth, and I’m done being afraid to say it,” Lechner said on X.

“Thank you, Sophie, for going first. You made it easier for the rest of us.”

I’m 16. I play because I love my sport and my team.

Watching @sophaller say it out loud — that girls shouldn’t have to give up fair competition or our privacy — meant more than she’ll ever know. When a WNBA star says it, maybe people finally listen.

I know what it’s like to… pic.twitter.com/kfqC1JtnTH

— Briley Lechner (@BrileyLechner) July 22, 2026

Ella Frei, who sued her high school over its locker room policies, and other girls joined “Fox & Friends” to celebrate Cunningham’s unapologetic stance.

“I was ecstatic,” Frei said of hearing about Cunningham. “And I thought, you don’t see very many people with that platform sharing their opinions.”

Lechner also appeared on Fox News to say that Cunningham “is making it 10 times more inspiring. It’s encouraging me and a lot of other female athletes to speak out.”

🚨 YOUNG FEMALE ATHLETES JUST REACTED TO SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM

A group of young girls went on Fox & Friends after Sophie Cunningham refused to back down on protecting women’s sports.
Their message was clear:

They were “ecstatic.”

Having a professional athlete with a real platform… pic.twitter.com/EBEZULeGdI

— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) July 23, 2026

Meanwhile, as young female athletes continue to muster their courage, Cunningham appears to be living her best life through the controversy that shouldn’t be a controversy.

“I said what I said,” she posted with a sassy picture on Instagram.

“I said what I said” – Sophie Cunningham’s most recent instagram post.

She’s fearless. I love her.

American Hero 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/YIKPNTyIDm

— Kosher (@koshercockney) July 23, 2026

This is the way.

Comment

We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.