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Sophie Cunningham admitted she could “talk to a wall for eight hours” and be content. That’s one of the reasons she has interest in commentating roles.
The WNBA star is not retiring any time soon, but she may have already locked in her retirement job. She previously worked as a Suns broadcaster on the NBA side, and she’s worked in other broadcast roles across basketball. Now, she will shine as a commentator for Quest Nutrition’s social media series Grand Try, in which stars from the men’s and women’s Team USA rugby teams will compete in viral games, premiering this month.
Even though Cunningham knew virtually nothing about rugby when signing on for the gig, it was a challenge she was excited about. The opportunity helped her grow her craft in the broadcast booth.
“It’s one of the cooler things I’ve done this offseason,” Cunningham told Sports Illustrated. “[The rugby players] got competitive. I was talking smack commentating. I was hyping them up when they did well.”
Cunningham is hopeful this experience will allow her to take on more sports commentator roles in the future, even though basketball is understandably her main focus. She noted an interest in exploring soccer (she played all the way up until college), baseball, football and even more rugby.
“I just love sports. I love talking to people and learning their stories. I love the ‘why,’” Cunningham says. “When I get asked to [commentate] for basketball, I know the game, I have the IQ for it. I see plays, I see why they do different schemes. You get to break down these elite level players and why they do what they do. I find it so fascinating, and I understand it. And, for some reason, people like to hear me break it down.”
There’s a lot of uncertainty for Cunningham’s 2026. For starters, the WNBA and the league’s players association are still in negotiations on a new collective bargaining agreement, and the league recently set a March 10 deadline in order for the standoff to not affect the upcoming season. For Cunningham specifically, she awaits to find her WNBA home for the season as she is a free agent following one year with the Fever. The CBA needs to be agreed upon before Cunningham can solidify her home for the season.
In the meantime, she is looking forward to exploring a career in broadcasting whenever she retires from the league. Keep an eye out on your screens for more future Cunningham appearances in the booth.
“Maybe there’s going to be a career there when I’m done playing basketball that that’s what I’ll get right into,” she said. “I’m excited for that.”
More WNBA on Sports Illustrated
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