WNBA star Sophie Cunningham has stepped up to support embattled Hollywood actress Sydney Sweeney as critics continue to blast the actress over her latest ad.
The Indiana Fever star recently spoke to the Sweeney issue during a visit with the No Hesitation podcast this week. It said she really has no issue with Sweeney’s nearly naked ad for sports betting group Novig, according to the New York Post.
“I have so many takes. But first of all, does she even gamble on sports? It’s so unauthentic. Am I surprised how she represented the brand? That’s what she made her whole career off. Don’t get me wrong, I like her,” Cunningham said.
Cunningham went on to say that she is impressed by Sweeney.
“She sticks to her guns, and she does her thing, and she’s her. Props to her. Do I like it? Like that particular ad? Not really. I think it’s like, what are we doing? But again, I’m not surprised. That’s what she’s known for. She’s making her money. Go do your thing, sis,” Cunningham told the podcast audience.
The WNBA star also found some parts of the latest controversy a bit confusing.
“But why are girls mad? That is literally what she does. Why is anyone mad? It is a gambling ad: men, sports, pretty much naked women. Of course, that’s going to draw attention. Again, do I agree with it? Morally, I think it’s kind of weird, but each to their own. Go do your thing, sis,” she added.
She also disagreed with some female athletes who are criticizing the ad.
“At the end of the day, I’m really loving seeing all these girls who are powerful, strong, showing young girls what it looks like to be an athlete. I don’t think the ad was coming for women in sport,” she said.
Cunningham also exhorted women not to “shrink” in the face of the controversy.
“Don’t shrink to make other people feel better about themselves when you’re born to stick out,” she urged. “I will say, though, I can understand when you first see that ad that, like, it could kind of deflate women, because it’s like we’ve worked so hard to get a little bit of respect around here. But then when you really think about it, it’s like, screw it, let that girl do her thing. This has nothing to do with us.”
Sweeney was attacked by the left over her 2025 ad for jeans maker American Eagle, with leftists accusing her of being a white nationalist for saying she has “good jeans.” And one commentator at USA Today insists that the only reason people are attacking Sweeney for her latest ad is that the actress is a “registered Republican.”
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