Sophie Cunningham knows how to stack titles. The Indiana Fever guard is no stranger to a microphone, and she’s about to get a much bigger one. After a 2025 season cut short by injury and an offseason spent navigating the WNBA free agency, Cunningham has secured a new gig with the USA Network that will put her in front of a national audience this summer.
But with this role, she’s now directly drawing comparisons to the industry’s biggest names.
What Ted Ballard Said About Sophie Cunningham’s New USA Network Role
Cunningham announced her partnership with USA Network on Instagram. She will now be a WNBA contributor and studio analyst for the network’s 2026 coverage, sitting under the network’s 11-year media rights agreement with the league, signed last September.
That deal locks in at least 50 regular-season games per year through 2036, headlined by Wednesday night doubleheaders.
USA Network executive Ted Ballard didn’t hide what made her the pick. “Who knows the league better than a person who’s actually playing in it right now? I thought it was really important to have a voice that might reflect that,” Ballard said.
Then he dropped the line that’s been making the rounds. Ballard called Cunningham a “cross between Pat McAfee and Draymond Green,” McAfee for the unfiltered media presence, Green for the on-court fire. He added that she’s genuine and would fit the staff.
Cunningham joins a stacked lineup. Elle Duncan and Renee Montgomery are anchoring studio coverage, with Paris Lawson also in the rotation. Hall of Famers Tamika Catchings and Chamique Holdsclaw are working as analysts. Kate Scott and Meghan McPeak split play-by-play. Sarah Kustok handles color. Cunningham will appear periodically across studio shows, digital content, and special segments as her playing schedule allows.
Her setup mirrors what Draymond Green does on Inside the NBA and what Caitlin Clark does on NBC’s Sunday Night Basketball coverage. Both active players and working broadcasters.
Sophie Cunningham’s Road From MCL Tear to Podcast Boom to National TV
Cunningham’s 2025 season ended in August after she tore her right MCL after 30 games, averaging 8.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.2 assists. Indiana made the WNBA semifinals without her.
She entered free agency on a $100,000 salary. The Fever brought her back on a one-year, $665,000 deal under the new CBA. But she wasn’t quite satisfied with the deal. On her own podcast, she said the money wasn’t the issue; she wanted a longer contract and a place to settle.
MORE: WNBA World Reacts to Caitlin Clark ‘Disrespect’ in 2026 GM Survey
“I’m almost 30 years old. I want to have a home. I want to get established. And I would love to get established in a place like Indiana,” Cunningham told the media.
Broadcasting isn’t a cold start for her. She worked as a recurring analyst on Phoenix Suns broadcasts during the 2022-23 NBA season.
Her media stints were enhanced by her podcast, “Show Me Something,” which launched last summer. It now has nearly 50,000 YouTube subscribers. The show has already generated headlines for her defense of Caitlin Clark, her WNBA fines for criticizing officiating, and a public spat with Skip Bayless.
