Even before the 2026 WNBA season tips off, Sophie Cunningham is already on fire. The Indiana Fever guard has been confirmed to be a contributing analyst to USA Network’s WNBA coverage, and she is also heating up the summer with a stunning bikini shoot.

This shoot, in fact, is Cunningham’s swimsuit debut for Sports Illustrated. Alongside Unrivaled co-founder Napheesa Collier, who is also making her debut, Cunningham has wowed fans with her breathtaking pictures in her swimwear. One netizen who is impressed with Cunningham’s pics is Livvy Dunne, the former LSU gymnast who has made a name for herself as an influencer and Sports Illustrated model.

“That’s right!” Dunne wrote in a caption on Instagram.

The platform offered by Sports Illustrated boosts Sophie Cunningham’s popularity in a way that transcends her work on the court. In her debut season with the Fever last year, Cunningham had already enjoyed an uptick in fame, thanks to her toughness on the defensive end and her willingness to come to the defense of the Fever’s franchise player Caitlin Clark.

In all likelihood, this is another bucket list item crossed out by Cunningham. When longtime Clark rival Angel Reese rocked the Victoria’s Secret runway for the first time last year, Cunningham made it known that she wanted to be the next WNBA player to do so.

Thanks to her “Show Me Something” podcast, the 29-year-old has been able to showcase her bubbly personality. As her non-basketball ventures continue to pile up, Cunningham gets to enjoy a different kind of success.

Fever Reporter Clears Air on Sophie Cunningham’s WNBA Career Amidst New Media Gig

Meanwhile, Sophie Cunningham’s new role with USA Network comes amidst the uncertainty of her roster spot with the Fever, as she is an unrestricted free agent this offseason.

To erase any doubts about Cunningham’s WNBA career, Fever beat reporter Scott Agness cleared the air with a single tweet on Tuesday.

“For those asking, this TV opportunity for Sophie Cunningham is in addition to playing. Like Caitlin Clark with NBC and Draymond Green and TNT.”

Given the hustle that Cunningham is known for, it’s not hard to imagine her balancing her playing stint in the WNBA with her role as media contributor.