Sophie Cunningham's future with the Indiana Fever remains uncertain as she enters free agency, but her impact off the court continues to grow. Despite the questions surrounding her next destination, the guard has become one of basketball's biggest social media stories, adding more than 2.9 million Instagram followers during the 2026 WNBA season and increasing her following from approximately 1.4 million to over 4.3 million.

According to Brendan Kaminsky, founder of B Known, Cunningham gained more Instagram followers this season than the other 49 most-followed WNBA players combined. Her growth also surpassed that of every NBA player, based on data shared by Kaminsky on Tuesday.

Cunningham's popularity has grown since joining Indiana in 2025 following six seasons with the Phoenix Mercury. Her first major surge came after an altercation with former Connecticut Sun guard Jacy Sheldon during a June 2025 Commissioner's Cup game. She later expanded her presence off the court by launching her own podcast.

Her following continued climbing in 2026. By late July, Cunningham had surpassed A'ja Wilson and Sabrina Ionescu in Instagram followers, while Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers and Angel Reese remained ahead of her.

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Her growing popularity has also translated into commercial opportunities. As of July 24, Cunningham held two of the top five spots in jersey sales on the WNBA's official store. She also prepared to promote her first player-exclusive Adidas shoe and worked as a WNBA contributor and part-time studio analyst for USA Network.

Cunningham's latest numbers highlight how her influence has expanded beyond basketball, making her one of the league's most recognizable personalities.