Aug 1, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham (8) warms up before the game against the Dallas Wings at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Sophie Cunningham's Bikini Photo Fever Gift Confession Turns Heads

Originally posted on Women's Fastbreak on SI
By Grant Young | Last updated Sep 19, 2025 8:55 PM ET

Indiana Fever star Sophie Cunningham has become one of the most popular players in women's basketball during this 2025 season. This is largely owed to the great relationship she has created with global superstar Caitlin Clark.

However, Cunningham deserves more credit for her game than her mere proximity to Clark. Not only has she become a household name because of her enforcer status for the Fever when she was healthy earlier in the season (she has since torn her MCL and is sidelined for the rest of the season), but Cunningham is a shrewd businesswoman and knows how to market herself on social media.

Whether it's through clever brand deals or spicy social media photos and videos, Cunningham has a unique knack for getting people talking about her.

Sophie Cunningham Shares Fever Staff Bikini Gift Photo Story

Another example of Cunningham capitalizing on her newfound popularity is with her Show Me Something podcast, which had its first episode earlier in the Fever season and now releases a new episode every week.

And on the September 19 episode, Cunningham shared how a rather strange fan request turned into a hilarious gag gift for members of her franchise, specifically Indiana's front office.

After Cunningham noted that she gets weirder fan mail than anybody else on the Fever, she said, "There was this guy, and he blew up all my bikini photos from my Instagram, and he wanted me to sign all of them and send them back so he could post it on his wall at work. And I was like, 'Well, where do you work?'"

Cunningham noted that she would never actually do that for a fan. She then added, "Instead, I saved all those [bikini photos], and I wrote every one on our staff a note, and I'm giving them a bikini photo of me, with a note from this year.

"I gave our president, and CEO, and GM one that's like, kind of spicy. And they have no idea that it's coming, and it's gonna be hilarious," she continued.

When Cunningham's co-host West Wilson clarified by asking if she sent the Fever president, "As a** pic, and signed it?"

"Yes. And a note that says thank you for the season," Cunningham replied. "So I might not be in the league next year, but at least I had a hell of a year this year, ya know?"

Cunningham sure knows how to make an impression on people, for better or worse.

This article first appeared on Women's Fastbreak on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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