Sophie Cunningham Is Ready To Lock In

In Bustle’s The Pregame, we ask athletes about their pregame rituals. What do they wear for the famous tunnel walk? How do they get in the zone? Here, we chat with the WNBA’s Sophie Cunningham about stress, sleep, and skin care.

Sophie Cunningham is a force on the basketball court. “I’m someone who is fiery, I'm feisty, I'm sassy, a great teammate, the ultimate competitor — a very team-first approach type of person,” the 29-year-old says of her playing style. This reputation has earned her fans in the stands, as well as 1.3 million followers on Instagram.

During a game, Cunningham is always thinking 10 steps ahead, but she also wants to have fun. Her parents, Paula and Jim — who were both student athletes themselves — reminded her that working hard is important, but so is enjoying the sport. “I have truly always carried that with me,” she says. “I'm focused and locked in, but I play the best when I can go out there and smile.”

After playing basketball with the University of Missouri Tigers, she was drafted to the Phoenix Mercury in 2019, and then joined the Indiana Fever in 2025, where she played alongside Caitlin Clark, Kelsey Mitchell, and Aliyah Boston.

When she looks back on her career so far, she says supporting her teammates is one of the highlights. “I'm very much an energy person, so it just depends what they need from me that day,” she says. “My shooting ability helps other players do their thing. But honestly, it's being the dog, doing the dirty work, always being on the ground, doing the hustle plays, and then just being the ultimate hype person.”

Following negotiations ahead of the 2026 season, Cunningham is expected to return to the Fever with a new deal in May. As she waits to put a jersey back on, she says she’s officially ready to get back in the zone. “At the end of the day, you're very blessed to be dribbling a basketball for a living,” she says. “You get to inspire so many young boys and girls and other people, not only around the country now, but around the world because of how many people's eyes are on the W.”

Cunningham is also busy repping Quest bars, and you can spot her as host of the brand’s social media show Grand Try, an elimination-style competition series that features high-energy challenges. It will be available to watch on Quest Nutrition’s Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube starting March 25.

Below, the shooting guard shares how she gets ready to play.

What’s going on in the hours before a game?

Normally we do some type of shoot around. I always get a snack, like one of Quest’s bakery items, as I head to the gym. After warming up, I’ll get some breakfast and relax. If it’s a late game, I’m taking a four-hour nap. Then I listen to some music, eat another meal, and go out there and have some fun.

What do you listen to?

Sometimes I’m feeling Christian music or a country vibe. If I need something else, I’ll go Drake or Future. I’ve also been loving Olivia Dean. If you saw my music library, it would explain so much about my brain. I always go with what I need that day. If I'm too hype, I need something that's going to lower me. If I'm a little meh, then I need something that's going to hype me up.

Do you have any pregame rituals you can’t skip?

When I’m taking a shower, I’ll pray for all my teammates and the other team. Then, when I’m getting ready, I put on my right sock, then left sock, then right shoe, and left shoe. We have so much pressure as players, so I’ve found relaxing routines that work for me.

What’s your pregame skin care routine?

I always have a good moisturizer on and blush. I like to have the cheekbones popping, especially since I’m on national television. I do mascara and always have some type of lip balm on. I sweat like no other, so it’s all coming off anyway — but that’s fine as long as my eyelashes look good.

Are you a nail girl?

I'm actually about to go to the nail salon right now. It’s cool that I get to work hard, sweat, and then turn it into a girly thing. It’s OK for women to go out there and sweat and have their hair done while doing it. I hope that by being authentically me, I’m inspiring someone and giving them hope about what they can do.

How else do you hope to inspire people?

You have to remember there are fans who have come to watch you play. They’re there early to get that photograph or an autograph. I want to be one of those people that really gives back and makes those people feel special and feel like they can conquer whatever they want to conquer.

This interview has been edited & condensed for clarity.