Sophie Cunningham has seen her star rise considerably since hopping on the Indiana Fever train.
The former University of Missouri star turned WNBA enforcer has started a podcast, joined USA Network as an active player analyst, become a meme, and most recently, worked as a UFC ring girl.
Cunningham is also completely comfortable speaking out on issues facing the WNBA, even when her comments get her into trouble. While Cunningham has bristled at being linked to the MAGA movement or Donald Trump directly, she recently sidestepped comments about the administration using her finger-pointing meme, reigniting frequent questions about her political affiliation.
All the recent attention toward Cunningham led none other than former Grantland and ESPN Page 2 writer Chuck Klosterman to predict that she will be on a presidential ticket within a quarter-century.
“Sophie Cunningham … I’m going to say 2050, is going to be Vice President of the United States,” Klosterman said on the latest episode of The Bill Simmons Podcast. “I don’t know what party she’ll be in, I don’t know anything about her political views. But she will be the vice presidential candidate, at least the candidate.”
“I don’t know what it is. It’s something about the fact that she wears those sleeves on the court, something about the way she triggers in-bound plays at the end of games, makes me think she will be someone’s ideal vice president. You know, she has a damn likable personality.”
@CKlosterman‘s bold prediction for 2050 😂 pic.twitter.com/Ex7PCCy55V
— The Ringer (@ringer) July 13, 2026
Klosterman could have had a little more meat to his prediction, given that he quickly acknowledges he knows little about her political leanings or ambitions.
However, he must have a great sense for these things, because it is a savvy pick. Cunningham is both willing to mix it up on the court and with her words, while also not shying away from hot-button issues. In our increasingly celebrity-obsessed culture and attention-focused economy, Cunningham is as good a guess as anyone for which celebrity could pop into a real political force in the future.
About Brendon Kleen
Brendon is a Media Commentary staff writer at Awful Announcing. He has also covered basketball and sports business at Front Office Sports, SB Nation, Uproxx and more.