Cunningham Gains Millions of Followers Amid Threats

The Indiana Fever guard's Instagram following grew more than any other player in the league's top 50 combined this season.

Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Basketball

Cunningham Gains Millions of Followers Amid Threats

Sophie Cunningham's Instagram following grew from 1,403,868 to 4,356,063 between May 8 and Nov. 2, a gain of more than 2.9 million followers. Cunningham has also hired round-the-clock security amid threats from individuals she considers stalkers.

Why it matters

Cunningham's visibility rose sharply after she told ESPN in July that she wants to protect young girls in sport who shouldn't have to go against biological men. The remark intensified an existing debate within the league over transgender athletes.

Cunningham's gain of 2,952,195 followers was larger than the combined gain of the other 49 most-followed WNBA players, which totaled nearly two million. The data comes from a bknown report, and it does not show what share of the growth followed her July comments.

The players

Sophie Cunningham

Indiana Fever guard whose social media growth and public comments on transgender athletes drew national attention this season.

Kevin Singh

48-year-old man arrested in June on felony stalking and intimidation charges after delivering a package to Cunningham.

Jalen Brunson

New York Knicks guard whose Instagram gain of just over one million followers served as a comparison point in the bknown report.

Victor Wembanyama

San Antonio Spurs center who added 763,134 Instagram followers in the same period, according to the bknown report.

The details

Kevin Singh, 48, delivered a package to Cunningham at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in September 2025, and was arrested in June on felony stalking and intimidation charges along with a misdemeanor charge. Cunningham, 30, says the FBI is monitoring roughly 20 people she considers stalkers.

- May 8 to Nov. 2, 2026: Period over which Instagram follower growth was measured.
- July 2026: Cunningham made her ESPN feature remark on transgender athletes.
- September 2025: Kevin Singh delivered a package at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
- June 2026: Kevin Singh was arrested on stalking and intimidation charges.
- Early November 2026: Cunningham told a podcast she had hired round-the-clock security.

Market Landscape

Cunningham's follower gain outpaces those of several high-profile NBA stars, showing how off-court attention can shift social media reach in women's basketball. The growth comes as the WNBA continues to build its commercial audience, with individual players increasingly competing for brand and fan attention.

Fantasy managers and fans following the WNBA may see Cunningham's social media profile and public role drawing more attention to Indiana Fever games. The growth also signals that off-court visibility can now matter as much as on-court production for some players.

The takeaway

Cunningham's case shows how a single public statement can reshape an athlete's audience and bring security concerns with it. Readers following the league can expect continued debate over how players balance visibility with personal safety.