Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham has spoken about a recent conversation with Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve regarding the inclusion of transgender athletes in women's sports. Cunningham, who has publicly stated her belief that transgender athletes should not compete in women's sports, described the interaction as civil and respectful.
Reeve approached Cunningham before their game on Sunday, August 2, 2026, while wearing a "Trans Kids Belong" shirt. Cunningham told reporters that the coaches had an open dialogue, sharing their respective perspectives.
"She had stories about her point of view and I had stories about my point of view and we left with love and respect and I think that’s what it’s all about," Cunningham said. "Yeah, she just came up and I respect her for coming up in person. I think a lot of people hide behind screens and love that type of thing."
Reeve echoed Cunningham's sentiment, calling the interaction "great." "I think both of us understand that we have platforms and we both talked about wanting to educate, and there’s some things we have in common and maybe some things you differ on, just like any issues. I think it’s how you handle things. It was nice to be in person, for sure," Reeve stated.
Cunningham reiterated her stance, which she first expressed in a February interview with ESPN, emphasizing the need to "protect young girls in the locker room." She affirmed her belief in protecting children, including biological females, and stated she stands by her comments.
"I extend love, I don’t dislike anyone, I think there’s room for absolutely everyone here," Cunningham added. "I think there’s room to love everyone. I truly think when you get people in the same room, you actually have a lot in common with a lot of people. … But I’m also there to love biological women, and I think there are rights that need to be protected."
Cunningham also expressed a desire for the WNBA media to focus more on the game itself rather than off-court matters. "WNBA media, all we ever do is cover everything except basketball," she commented. "And it’s like, what are we doing?"
The conversation occurred before the Indiana Fever's victory over the Connecticut Sun on July 22 and was highlighted during the ESPN broadcast of the game between the Fever and the Lynx. Cunningham's comments have drawn significant attention, but she maintained that her focus remains on the current season and her team's performance.