The WNBA offseason, once a quiet period of rest and recovery, has become a 24/7 news cycle. In this new, high-wattage landscape, one player is emerging as a master of the new rules, deftly balancing the worlds of celebrity and on-court grit. That player is Sophie Cunningham.

One moment, she’s “shutting it down” at a NASCAR event, posing for cameras with Hollywood superstar Sydney Sweeney. The next, she’s on a treadmill, sweat-drenched, “back running” and “ready to do damage” for the 2026 season. This is the new blueprint for success in the era of Caitlin Clark, and Cunningham is writing it in real-time. She is on a full-blown “offseason tour,” from Adidas commercials for Dame Lillard’s new shoe to spots on Good Morning America for Arby’s. And according to those closest to the Indiana Fever, she has earned every second of it.

When a generational talent like Caitlin Clark enters a league, she creates a tidal wave of attention, a “rising tide that lifts all boats.” This new spotlight inevitably attracts a spectrum of personalities, including, as one analyst noted, “a lot of clout chasers.” But Sophie Cunningham, in the eyes of fans and insiders, is not one of them. She has been granted a lifetime pass, an immunity from such accusations, because of what she did when the cameras were’t just looking for celebrities.

“I’m always gonna ride with Sophie Cunningham,” one prominent media personality stated emphatically. “You know why? ‘Cuz Sophie Cunningham was willing to fight… get ejected on behalf of Caitlin Clark. She didn’t give a damn.”

This is the core of her story. This is the “why.” In a rookie season where Clark was relentlessly targeted, tested, and physically challenged by veterans, Cunningham was the one who stood up. She was the one who put her body—and her status in the game—on the line. She was the one “willing to hold it down when nobody was.”

That single act of loyalty, of fierce protection, bought her more than just respect; it bought her authenticity. In an age of curated brands and performance, Cunningham proved she was a “rider,” a term of ultimate respect. She wasn’t just a teammate; she was an enforcer. And now, as she navigates her newfound fame, from NASCAR pits to national TV, she does so with the unassailable defense of having been there when it mattered most.

But her value to the Indiana Fever’s future is far more than just a historical footnote of loyalty. A “healthy Sophie Cunningham spells good for the Indiana Fever,” and that’s exactly what the new training footage represents. While she’s planning to run a marathon in Hawaii this Christmas—joking that she’ll run 13 miles and “walk the other 13″—the real takeaway is that she is healthy. She is “back on the treadmill,” “rehabbing,” and “getting that leg right” for a full-contact season.

This is critical because the Fever didn’t just miss her box-score contributions; they missed her “grittiness.”

The 2025 season had moments that highlighted this void. Insiders point to games where opponents, like DeWanna Bonner, were seen “talking trash” to Fever rookie Lexie Hull. A healthy Sophie Cunningham, the consensus holds, “wouldn’t have been going for none of that.”

This is the intangible, unquantifiable value she brings to the court. It’s an attitude. It’s a “tenacity.” It’s a “will to fight” that permeates the locker room and gives a young, talented roster the backbone it needs to withstand the pressures of a long season and the animosity of opponents. A team with a superstar like Clark will always have a target on its back. Cunningham is the player who ensures that target doesn’t become a bullseye. She provides a level of toughness that you “can’t measure [in a] box score,” but one that is absolutely essential for any championship contender.

That said, her box score contributions are just as vital. Cunningham is not just an enforcer; she is a critical offensive weapon. Her “three-point shooting” is something the team “need[s]” desperately. In an offense that revolves around Clark’s gravity—her ability to pull in double-teams and warp a defense—floor spacing is paramount. Cunningham’s sharpshooting provides the essential release valve, punishing teams for leaving her to help on Clark.

This dual-threat capability makes her, arguably, one of the most important pieces of the Fever’s puzzle. She is one of the few players in the league who can simultaneously protect her star with her physicality and maximize her star’s talent with her shooting.

This is why her offseason is so compelling. She is not just “parlaying” or “hanging out.” She is “taking full advantage” of the spotlight she earned, building her brand, and securing her financial future, all while putting in the hard, unglamorous work of rehab. She understands the assignment. She gets that the “Caitlin Clark spotlight” is an opportunity to be seized, not a threat to be envied. She has proven her loyalty in the trenches, and now she is reaping the rewards in the open.

As the WNBA moves into this new, more visible era, Sophie Cunningham is the model. She is proof that a player can be both tough and marketable, a “rider” and a celebrity. She is getting her leg right, her mind right, and her brand right. The 2026 season is on the horizon, and with a healthy, focused, and newly famous Cunningham back on the court, the Indiana Fever aren’t just getting a shooter or an enforcer back. They’re getting the heart of their team.