“Horrible”: Sophie Cunningham Offers No Filter Over Her Viral Activity Outside WNBA During the FIBA World Cup

Indiana Fever sent two players – Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston – to represent Team USA at the FIBA World Cup. And while Clark and Boston helped the Americans clinch their fifth straight gold medal, Sophie Cunningham made sure to make the most of the World Cup break in the middle of the WNBA regular season. The Fever guard made a high-profile appearance at World Wide Technology Raceway ahead of the NASCAR Cup Series race, and things got a little more entertaining than expected.

Cunningham took the stage for the pre-race show wth former NASCAR driver Kenny Wallace and television personality Johnny “TV” Vitale. The 30-year-old then attempted to kick a football into the cheering crowd. But before it could even reach the fans, the ball found a microphone stand on stage, making it the highlight of her NASCAR visit. It was hardly the viral moment she was hoping for, but Cunningham eventually had her chance to address the rather unexpected football highlight on the September 18 episode of No Hesitation.

“Everyone knows that was a very s***** kick; I walked off. My dad goes, ‘That was horrible.’ And he goes, ‘Maybe next time.’ My own father said that. But I did not know I was gonna be kicking, and I was wearing, like, boots, but they had heels to them. So I’m gonna blame the shoes. But I’ve not kicked a ball. I can kick the s*** out of a football, don’t get me wrong. But if I nailed a mic, like, I kicked it. It was horrible. I nailed a mic, and if it did not hit that mic, I promise you I would’ve killed someone in the front row.”

Boots or no boots, Sophie Cunningham is probably going to be hearing about that kick for a while. But the football attempt was hardly the only thing she got up to during her NASCAR appearance.

The Fever guard made the most of her time at the raceway. She was seen going around the garages, indulging in the pre-race festivities, and even meeting some of the biggest names in the sport, including Hall of Famer and Hendrick Motorsports vice chairman Jeff Gordon and Cup Series driver Carson Hocevar, with whom she even took a photo.

She even crossed paths with NBA legend Michael Jordan, who has his own connection to the event as a co-owner of 23XI Racing. But for Cunningham, this appearance carried a little personal connection as well.

She was born and raised in Missouri and grew up around NASCAR. Sophie Cunningham used to watch races with her dad when she was younger and was a fan of Hall of Famer Carl Edwards.

However, her day at the track was not limited to being a guest. As Team USA faced France in the 2026 FIBA World Cup finals, Cunningham joined USA Network’s race coverage, which gave her a chance to experience the event from a different side while interacting with fans and those around the sport. And while she enjoyed every bit of the different sports environment, her attention is back to the WNBA.

With the FIBA World Cup wrapped up, the regular season has resumed, and the Indiana Fever have already played one of their four games against the Toronto Tempo. The Fever won that game 103-85, with Sophie Cunningham playing 20 minutes and finishing with five points, four rebounds, and one assist.

Indiana has already clinched its berth in the playoffs, so the rest of the regular season will be about improving its standing. The Fever have three games left, with their next one coming against the Washington Mystics on September 20, followed by back-to-back games against the No. 1-ranked Minnesota Lynx.

The Fever currently sit fifth in the WNBA standings with a 27-14 record. Throughout the season, Indiana has made it clear that it is looking to make a deep playoff run and compete for a championship. So, as the season moves forward and the pressure of the postseason begins to build, fans will be keeping a close eye on the Fever to see how far they can go.

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