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Indiana basketball scenes are feeling more like one big family lately. Both teams continue to build a shared identity beyond the court. One recent example was the “Come to Our House” dinner service, where players from both teams rolled up their sleeves to serve meals and connect with local families.
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Even before that heartfelt initiative, though, there was another glimpse of this growing connection. On November 5, during the Pacers’ game against the Brooklyn Nets, Fever star Sophie Cunningham was spotted courtside, showing her support. Tyrese Haliburton was also there, this time watching the game from the sidelines alongside his fiancée, Jade Jones. Cunningham was spotted alongside Jones, and Jones even posted a picture with the Fever star.
Reflecting on the same, Sophie Cunningham was all heart on her podcast, Show Me Something. “Yeah. No, I hung out with Tyrese’s fiancée, Jade, and she is such a gem. And met a couple of her best friends, and they are just so fun. Like, love them,” Cunningham said.
She went on to describe the game itself. Like every other Pacers fan, she admitted that she had hoped the Pacers would finally pull out a win. “The Pacers are kind of not having the best year yet, but they have a lot of in injuries. Honestly, Brooklyn aren’t either, so I thought that maybe this is the one that the Pacers were going to get, but we didn’t get it, which is okay. I still had a really good time. Courtside. Not that it’s about me, but I had a great time,” she said with a laugh.
Indiana has dropped to 1-7 this season, with their only win so far coming against the Golden State Warriors. Meanwhile, Tyrese Haliburton, who is recovering from surgery on his right Achilles tendon, is ruled out for the whole season. But his personal life is still thriving since he got engaged to long-time girlfriend Jade. The two met when he played basketball for the Iowa State Cyclones, and she was a cheerleader at the school.
For Cunningham, though, the night “was fun.” However, one certain interaction led to many rumors from that night.
Rumors spark after courtside interaction with Michael Porter Jr.
Sophie Cunningham’s courtside appearance set off a wave of online rumors. After the matchup, Brooklyn Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. posted a photo of himself and Cunningham on his Instagram Story with the caption, “573 @sophie_cham 💜.” This was meant as a nod to their shared hometown area code in Columbia, Missouri. But within hours, the post spread across, and one viral X account claimed the two were dating. But are they really dating?
In reality, the buzz soon took an awkward turn. While many fans were quick to “ship” a potential basketball power couple, it was later revealed that the two are not dating. However, the conversation didn’t end there. Fans were quick to recall that Michael Porter Jr. hasn’t exactly been known for supporting the WNBA, largely because of his past remarks about the league.
On a January 2024 episode of The Pivot Podcast, he said, “I know these females [WNBA players] want to get paid more, and they’re very talented. But so is a famous ping-pong player…That doesn’t mean that they’re going to get paid the same, because it’s what the people wanna watch.”
When those comments resurfaced, they sparked intense backlash, prompting Porter Jr. to issue a clarification. As for his connection with Sophie Cunningham, it turns out their bond goes way back; they grew up in the same area of Columbia. Porter Jr.’s sister, Cierra Porter, once described her relationship with Cunnigham as being “like sisters“.
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