Sophie Cunningham has become one of the most recognizable personalities in the WNBA, both because of her basketball career and her outspoken personality away from the court. As her popularity has grown, so has public curiosity about her private life.
One question that regularly appears online is whether Sophie Cunningham is gay.
The simple answer is that Cunningham has not publicly identified herself as gay, lesbian or bisexual. She has generally kept her personal relationships away from the spotlight, although she has made a few comments about the kind of partner she would like to have.
Cunningham has also spoken about marriage and finding the right person. Based on her own public comments, she has talked about men when discussing dating and relationships. However, she has never made a formal public statement defining her sexual orientation.
So, while fans may continue to speculate, it is important to separate online rumors from what Cunningham has actually said herself.
Who Is Sophie Cunningham?
Sophie Elizabeth Cunningham was born on August 16, 1996, in Columbia, Missouri. She developed into a highly regarded basketball player during her school years and eventually became one of the most successful players in Missouri Tigers women’s basketball history.
At Rock Bridge High School, Cunningham was a standout recruit and helped her team win four consecutive state championships. Her performances attracted major attention, and she went on to play college basketball at the University of Missouri.
During her four seasons with Missouri, Cunningham became the program’s all-time leading scorer.
Her professional career began when the Phoenix Mercury selected her with the 13th overall pick in the 2019 WNBA Draft. She spent several seasons with the Mercury before making a major career move to the Indiana Fever in 2025.
Playing alongside Caitlin Clark helped bring Cunningham even more attention from basketball fans and the wider public.
Is Sophie Cunningham Gay?
There is no public confirmation from Sophie Cunningham that she identifies as gay.
She has never publicly announced that she is lesbian or bisexual either. Much of the discussion surrounding her sexuality appears to come from social media speculation rather than from a statement made by Cunningham.
This distinction matters because a person’s friendships, appearance, personality or social media activity cannot establish their sexual orientation.
Cunningham has, however, made comments about being attracted to men. In a TikTok video, she discussed her preference for a “manly man” and joked about wanting a man who could take care of her.
Those comments suggest that she has publicly expressed interest in men. Still, they should not be treated as a formal declaration of her sexual orientation because Cunningham has not publicly given herself a specific label.
For now, the most accurate description is that her sexual orientation has not been formally disclosed by her.
Why Are There Rumors About Her Sexuality?
The WNBA has a large and very active LGBTQ+ fanbase. Many WNBA players have openly discussed their sexuality, relationships and identities, which has made conversations about players’ personal lives especially common online.
Cunningham’s popularity has also increased dramatically in recent years. She is active on social media, has a strong personality and frequently appears in viral basketball conversations.
That combination naturally brings more attention to her private life.
Another source of speculation has been her close friendship with West Wilson. The two have known each other since childhood and attended the same high school in Missouri.
They later became podcast partners on Show Me Something, a show covering sports, entertainment and pop culture.
Despite their close friendship, there is no indication that Cunningham and Wilson were romantically involved. Their relationship has been described publicly as a long-standing friendship.
Online fans can sometimes mistake a close friendship for a romantic relationship, particularly when two people regularly appear together in videos and social media posts. In Cunningham’s case, that appears to have contributed to some of the discussion around her dating life.
Sophie Cunningham’s Relationship History
Cunningham has generally been private about who she dates. Only a small number of names have been publicly connected to her.
Jakob Neidig
Jakob Neidig is the most clearly reported former boyfriend associated with Cunningham.
Neidig was a Missouri State athlete who played both basketball and soccer. Cunningham and Neidig were reportedly together around 2019 and 2020.
Their relationship appeared on social media during that period, but public posts involving the two eventually stopped. Reports have placed the end of the relationship around early 2020.
Since then, Cunningham has not publicly confirmed another long-term relationship in the same way.
Frank Adams
Cunningham was also linked at one point to Frank Adams, a former athletic trainer associated with Grand Canyon University.
The two were reportedly seen together at games and social events, which led to dating speculation.
However, their relationship was never firmly confirmed by Cunningham, so it is better described as an unconfirmed connection rather than a confirmed romance.
Josh Bartelstein Rumors
Cunningham was also mentioned in allegations involving Josh Bartelstein, a Phoenix sports executive, in connection with a legal dispute involving the Suns organization.
Cunningham strongly denied the allegation and described the accusations as untrue and hurtful.
Because she rejected the claim, it should not be presented as an established relationship or affair.
Is Sophie Cunningham Dating Anyone in 2026?
There is no publicly confirmed boyfriend or girlfriend for Cunningham in 2026.
She has kept this part of her life relatively quiet, despite having millions of followers across social media platforms.
In March 2025, Cunningham answered questions from fans on Instagram while dealing with a delayed flight. One person asked why she was not married.
Her response was humorous, but she also made it clear that she believes marriage could happen in the future.
She has similarly spoken about wanting to find the right person and being open to building a family someday.
That suggests marriage and relationships are things she has considered, even though she has not publicly introduced a current partner.
Sophie Cunningham and Her Growing WNBA Fame
Cunningham’s relationship status has become a bigger topic partly because her professional profile has exploded.
After joining the Indiana Fever, she became part of one of the most closely followed teams in women’s basketball. Her role alongside Caitlin Clark has put her in front of a much larger audience.
But Cunningham’s popularity is not limited to basketball.
She has built a major social media following and has attracted attention from brands and entertainment outlets. Her outspoken personality also makes her a regular subject of online conversations.
She has appeared in major promotional campaigns and earned endorsement opportunities with several well-known companies.
Her podcast with West Wilson has added another side to her public image. Rather than being known only as a basketball player, Cunningham has increasingly become a media personality as well.
Her Personal Life Is Still Her Own
One reason Cunningham’s relationship status attracts so much attention is that she has become more famous without sharing every detail of her private life.
That can create a gap between what fans want to know and what is actually confirmed.
It is reasonable to discuss the relationships Cunningham has publicly acknowledged or the comments she has personally made. It is not reasonable to turn social media speculation into fact.
At this point, Cunningham has not publicly identified as gay. She has also not made a formal statement assigning a particular label to her sexuality.
Her comments about wanting a “manly man” and finding a male partner offer some insight into her dating preferences, but ultimately Cunningham is the person who gets to decide how she describes herself.
Sophie Cunningham’s Career Continues to Grow
While questions about her love life generate plenty of clicks online, basketball remains the foundation of Cunningham’s public career.
From her Missouri high school days to becoming the Tigers’ leading scorer and eventually entering the WNBA, she has built a career through years of hard work.
Her move to Indiana gave her a fresh platform and helped introduce her to an even larger audience.
At 30 years old in 2026, Cunningham remains an important part of the WNBA’s current generation of recognizable players. Her personality, basketball ability and social media presence have combined to make her one of the league’s more marketable figures.
The Bottom Line
Sophie Cunningham has not publicly identified as gay. There is no reliable public confirmation that she is currently dating a woman or that she has ever publicly described herself as lesbian or bisexual.
Her last clearly reported relationship was with Jakob Neidig, and that relationship appears to have ended around 2020. She has also been connected to other dating rumors, although some of those claims were never confirmed and at least one was firmly denied.
Cunningham has spoken openly about wanting to find the right man and has joked about eventually getting married.
For now, she appears to be keeping her current relationship status private. Until Cunningham chooses to say more herself, online speculation about her sexuality should remain just that, speculation.