Sophie Cunningham. Image via: Getty Images Sophie Cunningham has made it clear that Enes Kanter Freedom’s push to enter the WNBA is not something she wants to get involved in. Speaking to ESPN, the Indiana Fever guard addressed Kanter Freedom and Royce White declaring for the WNBA Draft and chose to keep her response focused on her own team. Her comments come after Kanter Freedom repeatedly referred to Cunningham while speaking about his campaign against the league’s transgender eligibility rules.For Cunningham, the timing is important. Indiana is heading into the final four games of the regular season, with the team still fighting for a strong playoff position. Rather than spend her energy on the debate surrounding Kanter Freedom, she said her attention is on the Fever and what happens on the court. “I’m gonna let them do them,” Cunningham said. “I’m just focused on the Fever and on our sport. I think we have four more games left. I’m trying to just really dial in and keep the main thing the main thing.”
Sophie Cunningham responds as Enes Kanter Freedom pushes WNBA campaign
Kanter Freedom has made Cunningham part of the conversation because their views on transgender participation in women’s sports overlap. Cunningham has previously said she supports restricting transgender girls and women from girls’ and women’s sports. At the same time, she has rejected claims that this means she hates transgender people.The former NBA player has also described Cunningham as “my friend.” His campaign drew more attention after he attended Indiana’s Aug. 23 game against the Chicago Sky wearing a shirt that defined a woman as an “adult human female.” He was later ejected after an exchange with Sky guard Natasha Cloud.Kanter Freedom subsequently said Cunningham texted him, “What happened?” after the incident. Cunningham has not publicly confirmed that account, and her latest comments do not suggest that she has joined his campaign.
Indiana Fever star Sophie Cunningham puts basketball first
Cunningham’s position on the wider issue has not changed, but she is separating that position from Kanter Freedom’s actions. She previously told ESPN, “I think that I am here to extend love. But I also think with that love is truth.”Now, her priority is the Fever. Cunningham is averaging 8.3 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists this season as Indiana heads toward the playoffs.With only four regular-season games remaining, Cunningham says she does not want outside controversy taking attention away from the team’s postseason push. Her latest comments therefore draw a clear boundary: she can have her own views on transgender participation in sports without becoming part of Kanter Freedom’s WNBA campaign.