Phoenix Mercury guard Sophie Cunningham has become the latest WNBA player to face an ugly round of public criticism — this time from former college coach Dan Dakich, who accused her of being more focused on fame than basketball.
Dakich didn’t hold back in his rant, saying,
“Sophie Cunningham is in the league for one reason and one reason only: to get famous! She doesn’t work on her job; she doesn’t do s** in the offseason.”* He then added another harsh jab, “She wears a bikini, shakes her a*, and wants everybody to look at her, and then tries to act tough ’cause she cheap shot a girl in the open court. And all you clowns go, ‘Oh my god! She’s hot.’”*
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The remarks drew immediate backlash online. Fans called Dakich’s comments sexist, unprofessional, and degrading, with many pointing out that Cunningham has been a consistent role player who built her reputation through effort and confidence — not social media antics.
Sophie Cunningham hasn’t directly responded to Dakich’s rant. However, several reporters noted that she has long faced unfair scrutiny for showing confidence or posting photos outside the court.
The controversy reminds everyone why Sophie Cunningham’s name continues to stand out: because she refuses to back down, even when critics try to silence her.
Sophie Cunningham Calls Out WNBA Leadership: “They Need To Step Up And Be Better”
As former coach Dan Dakich’s rant spread online, Sophie Cunningham made headlines again — this time for her bold comments about the WNBA’s leadership.
In a candid interview, Cunningham voiced her frustration about the state of the league.
“I’m just tired of our league,” she said. “They need to step up and be better. Our leadership from top to bottom needs to be held accountable.”
She went further, saying that many in power don’t truly understand the sport they oversee: “I think there are a lot of people in positions of power in the WNBA who, they might be really great business people, but they don’t know s** about basketball. And that’s gotta change.”
The strength of her opinion lies with those who would throw the same voice behind her. Sophie Cunningham wants the WNBA to grow just as much as the next athlete and fan does. But to do that, the league must overcome these critical issues. And Sophie wants to make sure they take the first step: knowing the problem.
For more basketball content, click on Hardwood Heroics. Sabel Reyes can be reached through sabelreyes22@gmail.com. Other websites under the Sports Heroics umbrella are Gridiron Heroics and Wisconsin Heroics.
Sabel has been working as a field reporter for People’s Television Network (PTV), mainly about the Philippine Basketball Association since 2016 and has been elevated to Executive Producer for sports in 2022. Aside from being on top of the Philippine sports scene, she is also a running enthusiast. You can also follow her on X at @SabelReyes2 and Instagram at @msabelreyes.
