'Cleveland In Summertime': Sophie Cunningham’s Dig On WNBA’s Expansion In Cleveland Gets Donovan Mitchell’s Reaction

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Sophie Cunningham acknowledged she’s speaking from a player’s seat, raising valid concerns about locker room excitement and market fit. But when the biggest star in Cleveland basketball weighs in, she’ll feel the heat.

Cleveland isn’t taking the slight lightly. Their X account doubled down on civic love and support for women’s hoops—using Sophie Cunningham’s storyline to hype their own city. And Mitchell’s comment? It’s a high-powered rebuttal, signaling Cleveland will be ready and proud.

Sophie Cunningham brought up valid angles—player comfort, team buy-in, and where the energy is real. But Donovan Mitchell’s tagline wasn’t just hype—it was hometown swagger meeting league-level expansion.

If Sophie Cunningham thought expansion chat would be cool and calm, think again. Between locker room voices and NBA echo chambers, this isn’t just off-season noise—it’s narrative warfare, and Cleveland just brought the flames.

Cities Fire Back Hard After Sophie Cunningham’s Expansion Comment

Sophie Cunningham put Cleveland and Detroit on blast with her expansion doubts. And both cities quickly reminded her they’ve been here before.

“The last time we were home to a WNBA team (Detroit Shock) we ranked top five in attendance for five straight seasons, No. 1 in attendance for three straight seasons and set a single‑game attendance record of 22,076 fans at Game 3 of the 2003 WNBA Finals.” – The City of Detroit’s posted on X

It’s a history lesson delivered with swagger as Detroit’s legacy in women’s hoops is well-documented. And it directly challenges Sophie Cunningham’s suggestion that those markets can’t bring the hype.

Cleveland followed suit, tweeting:

“Sophie, your teammate doesn’t seem to think Cleveland is too bad! … any player who comes here will feel that legendary passion Cleveland sports fans show our teams!”

Now both cities have dropped receipts, and they’re loud. Sophie Cunningham raised a question, but these post‑tweets are sealing the answer: player opinion isn’t the only currency. Fan culture, attendance history, legacy—it all matters.

If Sophie Cunningham thought she was opening casual conversation, she just ignited city rivalries. And both Detroit and Cleveland answered back with facts, passion, and game-day memories. That’s how you deal with expansion shade.