Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham said she hired security to accompany her around the clock, describing the measure on her “No Hesitation” podcast with basketball trainer Drew Hanlen. Cunningham said the security detail was expected to begin traveling with her the following week. She added that unwanted attention now follows her across states and cities.
The announcement came after Cunningham discussed stalking concerns on Theo Von’s “This Past Weekend” podcast. There, she said she believed the FBI was monitoring about 20 people in connection with concerns involving her. Cunningham did not name those people or detail the agency’s role. Her account of the FBI’s involvement and the estimate of 20 people have not been independently verified.
A separate case involving Cunningham led Indiana prosecutors in June to charge Kevin Singh with felony stalking and intimidation and misdemeanor harassment. The charges are allegations, not findings of guilt. Court documents cited by The Associated Press say Cunningham told investigators that unwanted contact had caused nightmares and led her to stay home more often.
On her own podcast, Cunningham described the difficulty of managing attention while maintaining an everyday routine. She said she remains willing to take photographs and sign autographs, but asks people to wait until she has finished eating. She described saying yes to one request as potentially prompting a continuing stream of requests. Even visits home, she said, can leave her feeling that she has spent more time interacting with strangers than with relatives.
Cunningham identified learning to set boundaries as a major adjustment. She also said she tries to balance time away from public attention with activities that help her recharge. Hanlen said he, too, receives hostile messages because of his association with her.
The discussion also turned to the WNBA’s 3-point contest. Asked to choose between winning that event and appearing on “Dancing with the Stars,” Cunningham picked the television competition. She questioned whether her performance would be enough to earn a place in the 3-point contest, calling the selection process “political” and saying she expected that other players would be chosen. She did not explain what she meant by “political” or identify anyone she believed was responsible for her exclusion.
Cunningham shot 41.9% from 3-point range during the 2026 regular season and was not among the six players announced for the contest in July. The league’s announcement highlighted the selected players’ rankings in made 3-pointers; all six were in the top 10 entering play July 21.
Cunningham also argued for more demanding coaching. In response to Hanlen’s suggestion that some coaches do not push young female players as hard as male players, she called for “hard coaching.” She praised coaches who challenge athletes while caring about their development and said players must be willing to accept correction and take responsibility.
