Before hosting a packed March Madness watch party at The Stumble Inn in NYC, Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham hopped on Zoom with iHeartRadio for an exclusive interview. The event, a collaboration with Quest Nutrition, brought college hoops fans together for drinks, vibes, and custom “Sophie-Tinis” made with Quest’s Iced Coffee Protein Shake.
In our convo, the WNBA star opened up about everything from the upcoming season and her excitement to bring the heat with her tunnel 'fits to joining what she proudly calls “one of the hottest teams in the whole world.” Oh, and yes, she addressed that Sabrina Carpenter comparison. (IYKYK).
Check out our Q&A below.
First things first, let's talk about your partnership with Quest Nutrition and the brand's takeover at New York City's Stumble Inn.
I’m so excited for this. I think this is a year of new beginnings and firsts for me, and Quest is right behind me on that. This is the first time they’ve ever done this with a bar, especially during the tournament. I'm a little feisty, I’m a little sassy, I like to have a good time. So we created the Sophie-Tini, and I’m so excited for people to try it because it is my fun version of an espresso martini but with high protein, low sugar. So it’s actually pretty good for you.
I keep telling people, everyone who tries it is like, 'Oh gosh, I think this is way better than a normal espresso martini.' I’m telling you, Quest is onto something. I’m just a part of it. The recipes are phenomenal. Everything that they have is good for you and it tastes good. It doesn’t actually taste like you’re eating something healthy, and that’s what I love most about it. As an elite-level athlete, you do have to eat well, you do have to take care of your body, but I have a sweet tooth like no other. So when there’s good stuff like this that’s also good for you, it makes me feel pretty good.
Photo: Quest
Now, let's talk basketball. I know the season officially tips off in May, but what has the transition to the Fever been like so far? And what do you think fans can expect from the squad in 2025?
This offseason, they’ve had a lot of changes in their front office, in their coaching, their roster clearly, and I think it all kind of turned heads. As a player going there who got traded, even the people they brought in, we are all like, 'Oh, we’re a force to be reckoned with this year.' I just think we have all the puzzle pieces that we truly need. It’s all about putting the puzzle together. But I know we have really, really good people, not only in our locker room but supporting us in the front office. I think that’s just a really good thing, and it’s a recipe for success.
Speaking of the squad, can you explain the “I’ll be your Sabrina Carpenter to their Taylor Swift any day” comment you made on the Sports and SHEnanigans podcast?
This is seriously one of my favorite questions because I think it is so funny. I was kidding, right? Clearly, Caitlin Clark has changed the women’s game not only here in the United States, but around the world. I swear that we are one of the hottest teams in the whole world right now and have a lot of eyes on us. And it’s because of things that she’s done at such a young age, and she’s handled it so gracefully. She’s just trying to empower everyone around her, and I think that’s something really, really good.
I told her 'Go do your thing. I want you to thrive. Whatever you need from me, I’m going to be there. I’m going to be supportive.' I think that’s kind of what Taylor Swift did for Sabrina [Carpenter]. She just elevated her in so many ways. So I’m proud to be a part of something great that’s going to happen there. And it’s not just me. You have DeWanna Bonner, Natasha Howard, Kelsey Mitchell, Aliyah Boston, Sydney Colson. We have a group. We have a squad. So when I was just kind of messing around like, 'I’ll be your Sabrina,' that’s me telling her, go be the star that you are, and I will be there in the corner cheering you on and making sure that you’re your best self.
Photo: Quest
You’re part of the veteran crew on this team. What’s it been like working with younger teammates like Aliyah and Caitlin, who’ve grown up in this "everyone’s watching women’s sports" era?
I was drafted out to Phoenix and had been there for six years. I got to learn so much from our GOAT, Diana Taurasi. I know we didn’t win a championship together, but just being a sponge and soaking up her knowledge on how to be a pro, her daily things that she does in order to get those championships and how to make your teammates be their best selves, I’ve really soaked that in and I’ve cherished that. I feel like I’ve learned so much in the past six years. Me knowing that and then coming onto a team that has these rookies that are willing to win and do the dirty work, that’s where their mind’s at. At the end of the day, we all want that, but you also have to have the experience.
You don’t know what you don’t know, right? Once you’re in the league for a while, you start to understand that. When you have these types of people who are going to be legends of our game, who are going to be Hall of Famers, just to be a small part of helping them be their best selves and becoming a professional athlete maybe quicker than some, taking them under my wing, that’s what I’m there for. So I’m really excited to create that relationship, to build that chemistry, and go win some ball games with them.
With 41 of your 44 games set to be televised this year, the most of any team, how does this exposure compare to when you first joined the WNBA? And what do you think it says about where the league is headed?
I think this is something that we’ve always deserved. You have to give a lot of pats on the back to this rookie class that came in last year that brought a lot of fans from the collegiate level into the WNBA. But I think this is the very beginning of where this league is going to go. We’ve always deserved it, but for us to finally be a part of it and to have 41 nationally televised games is huge. Everything is elevated.
For me, that’s awesome. But at the end of the day, you’re still playing basketball. You’ve been doing this since you were four years old, and you’ve got to protect that locker room. There’s going to be a lot of noise. With all this recognition, there are always positives, and there are always negatives. You’ve got to keep it simple. At the end of the day, it’s basketball. Let’s push this thing forward.
I'm not going to lie— I’d be stressed about the tunnel outfits for each of those 41 games. You’ve got to play well and come through with a bomb 'fit— the pressure!
Girl, I feel you. That’s something that has changed. The first four years in the league, I’m not kidding, I was probably walking in in what I slept in the night before. No one cared. But now it’s turned into a complete fashion show. Honestly, that’s something I’m super excited about. I’m not just saying this, but Quest is such a fun brand. They are willing to support and empower women. For me to have this new platform and all these eyes on me, it makes me excited to be partnering with someone who’s fun and spunky and doing good things in the community. Last year, I had a couple of Quest fits. This year, they’re going to be a little more spicy. There’s going to be a lot more eyes not only on me, but on the brands I love, like Quest. I’m excited for it.
This interview was edited for clarity and length.
This story is brought to you by the Women's Sports Audio Network (WSAN). WSAN is the first-ever audio platform dedicated exclusively to women's sports. WSAN celebrates female athletes and gives an in-depth look into their personal experiences in and out of their respective sports. Check out more on the WSAN site.