PHOENIX – The three-time WNBA Champion Phoenix Mercury have re-signed Sophie Cunningham to a multi-year deal, the team announced today.
“Sophie is part of our core, now and for the future,” said Mercury General Manager Jim Pitman. “She has grown every year of her career and took a tremendous step forward as a player last year. The joy in her play, her tenacity on the court, and her love of the Valley and the Mercury organization made re-signing her a priority for us. She’s a fan favorite and she’s loved by teammates, coaches and staff who work with her every day. She will be another important piece this season as we continue to build towards a championship roster.”
A breakout fourth WNBA season in 2022 made Cunningham one of the top candidates for the league’s Most Improved Player award, averaging career highs of 12.6 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game. She took on a more prominent role after roster changeover made her a full-time starter on June 25. From then, Cunningham averaged 15.6 points (7.2 before), 4.8 rebounds (3.6 before), and 3.1 made threes per game (1.4 before) and helping lead the team to its 10th consecutive playoff appearance. Cunningham’s shooting made a leap after becoming a permanent fixture in the starting lineup, connecting on 46.2 percent from the field and 40.9 percent from the three-point range.
Cunningham made 56 threes after June 25 – only league-leader Kelsey Plum (63) made more – and for the season made a total of 70 threes, surpassing the 58 threes she made in her first three regular seasons combined. Cunningham became just the fourth player in franchise history to make 70 threes in a season, joining teammate Diana Taurasi (10 times), Leilani Mitchell and Anna DeForge.
A significant contributor down the stretch of the season and into the playoffs, the best game of her career came during a double-overtime game on July 12 at Minnesota, scoring a career-high 36 points on a career-high six made threes (career-high 47 minutes, 13 FGMs, five steals). Cunningham scored 11 points as part of an 18-5 run at the end of the fourth quarter, including a game-tying second-chance three, that sent game to overtime. She became just the second player in WNBA history to record 30+ points, 5+ rebounds, 5+ steals and 5+ three-points made in a game, joining legend Cynthia Cooper (1997). Additionally, Cunningham currently holds the record for the longest streak of regular season games with 2+ three pointers made in WNBA history with 17 games, passing guard Diana Taurasi (16) on August 12 against Dallas.
Her signature on-court flair and intensity have made her a fan and team favorite, leading to the nickname “Spicy Sophie” and a signature cocktail, the “Spicy Sopharita”, at Footprint Center. While preparing for the 2023 WNBA season, Cunningham has made regular contributions to Suns basketball coverage on the team’s exclusive local television home, Bally Sports Arizona, providing her basketball knowledge during the Suns pregame, halftime and postgame shows as a guest analyst.
Drafted 13th overall in the 2019 WNBA Draft by the Phoenix Mercury, Cunningham finished her four-year collegiate career at the University of Missouri as the program’s all-time leader in points (2,187) and free throws (537), second in three-pointers made (590), fourth in points per game (17.0) and led the program to four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. Cunningham is a die-hard Kansas City Chiefs fan who is very optimistic about the team’s chances next Sunday in Glendale, Ariz.