Caitlin Clark’s arrival in Indianapolis in 2024 ignited one of the biggest media frenzies the WNBA has ever seen. However, in 2025, it was her teammate, Sophie Cunningham, who made the biggest year-over-year leap in online popularity.
Sophie Cunningham’s Search Popularity Exploded Beyond Caitlin Clark in 2025
According to Google’s newly released “Year in Search 2025” report, Cunningham ranked No. 7 among all U.S. athletes with the largest spike in search interest compared to 2024. She was also the only woman to appear in the top 10.
This is an interesting twist considering Clark herself finished No. 7 on the same list last year (2024). Nonetheless, that ranking covered a different competitive set that included Olympic athletes like Simone Biles and Imane Khelif.
It’s also essential to note that this ranking reflects trending growth, not total search volume. Google’s “Year in Search” spotlights individuals whose search interest rose sharply and consistently across the year, not the most-searched athletes overall.
Still, Cunningham’s placement underscores just how dramatically her visibility surged throughout 2025. Her explosive rise placed her ahead of Clark for the year, which in itself is a headline-worthy twist in one of the WNBA’s most closely watched duos.
That said, Cunningham’s sudden rise in search interest didn’t happen randomly.
Reasons Behind Cunningham’s Rise in Online Popularity
The turning point came on June 17, 2025, during a Fever–Sun matchup in Indianapolis. After Sun’s Jacy Sheldon poked Clark in the eye and Marina Mabrey escalated the contact with a shove, Cunningham delivered a hard foul on Sheldon.
The exchange resulted in a Flagrant 2, an ejection, and a moment that instantly went viral on social media as the Caitlin Clark bodyguard clip.
The reaction was enormous. Reports noted that Cunningham gained between 500,000 and 800,000 followers on TikTok and Instagram within a few days. That explosion in visibility helped push her into the top tier of trending athletes for the year.
Cunningham was traded to Indiana before the 2025 season, taking on guard/wing responsibilities alongside Clark.
After Clark’s season-ending injury, Cunningham briefly took the scoring load for the Fever, contributing efficient offense and rebounding before suffering her own MCL injury that cut her season short.
Even sidelined, Cunningham remained a constant presence courtside as the Fever made a stunning playoff run to the WNBA semifinals, pushing the Las Vegas Aces to a decisive Game 5.
Likewise, her outspoken personality also amplified her visibility.
Throughout the season, she made headlines for her fiery comments about officiating and league leadership, earning multiple fines, yet brushing them off with confidence. One widely circulated moment occurred when she labeled Commissioner Cathy Engelbert “the most delusional leader our league has seen,” while once again defending Clark.
Now she’s riding that popularity wave, and her soaring online numbers prove just how big her rise in 2025 really was.
