Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham has hired security to accompany her around the clock, a decision prompted by her increased public profile and past threats. Cunningham detailed the new security measures in a recent episode of the "No Hesitation" podcast.
Cunningham, a free agent, explained that she began to be recognized more widely outside of her basketball uniform, making her feel less secure in public spaces. "Now it doesn’t matter what state, what city, it’s everywhere," she said on the podcast. "And so I’ve hired security and they’re going to start traveling with me actually next week 24/7."
The heightened security comes after Cunningham revealed on "This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von" in October that she had been dealing with stalkers, estimating that around 20 individuals were being monitored by the FBI on her behalf. One man, Kevin Singh, 48, was arrested in June on felony stalking and intimidation charges, along with a misdemeanor harassment charge. Singh reportedly delivered a package containing a letter and a Guns N' Roses T-shirt to the Fever's home arena in September 2025, addressed to "Sophie."
Cunningham's increased visibility also stems from controversial remarks she made regarding transgender athletes in women's sports. In an interview with ESPN published in July, she stated a desire to "protect young girls in sport who shouldn’t have to go against biological men." These comments sparked significant debate and led to some fans organizing rallies in support of her at Fever games.
Further attention came in October when President Donald Trump praised Cunningham's appearance during campaign rallies. Trump referred to her as a "beautiful young woman" and suggested she could "help with attendance" if she were a football kicker, adding that "a lot of men wanting to go and watch her."
Cunningham reportedly gained a substantial number of Instagram followers during the 2025-2026 WNBA season, surpassing 49 other league players combined and even outgaining any NBA player.