Sophie Cunningham reveals what she wants after WNBA retirement: Marriage, babies, farm life and broadcasting

Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham has a picture of life beyond basketball, even if she has not decided exactly what comes next. The 30 year old hopes her future will include a family, a home on the land and plenty of time with the people closest to her.

While speaking on the Sons and Daughters podcast, Cunningham said she is open to seeing where life takes her once her basketball career ends. However, retirement is still a long way off and she is not rushing to make plans for that next chapter.

She said, “I know whatever God has in store for me after the ball stops bouncing is going to be fun,” adding, “It’s going to be something that I’m passionate about. But we’ll see,” as quoted by Basketball Network.

Sophie Cunningham Wants a Farm Life After Basketball

Cunningham's interest in life on the land goes back to her childhood. She grew up with her siblings on her family's farm in Rocheport, Missouri and that also remains part of the future she imagines for herself.

Her ambitions extend beyond simply owning a home as she wants a family and enough land to keep horses and cows, with time to enjoy life away from the demands of professional basketball.

Cunningham told in the podcast that, “I want to be married. I want to have babies. I want to have land. I want to have horses. I want to have cows. I want to have all that,” and added, “I would love to just do things, travel, and, just spend time with the people that I love.”

She also owns a donkey and enjoys trail riding. Along with building a home and family, Cunningham said she would like to travel and spend time with the people she loves.

Could Broadcasting Be Her Next Career

Although farm life is part of the future Cunningham hopes to build, she has not ruled out continuing to work in basketball or another field after playing.

Broadcasting is one possibility she is considering. Coaching, however, is less certain. Cunningham acknowledged that the demands of the basketball lifestyle could influence whether she wants to remain involved in the sport in that way.

The basketball player shared that, “I also would love to get into broadcasting…I don’t know if I want to coach. I don’t know if I want to do anything like that because the lifestyle, you know, is the lifestyle.”

She has not settled on a specific direction yet, but she expects her next step to involve communication and working with others. Cunningham said, “I truly do not know, but I’m sure it involves talking. I’m sure it involves working with people, and doing something. So, we’ll see what happens,” as quoted by Basketball Network.

Why Sophie Cunningham Is Making Headlines

Cunningham has drawn fresh attention after sharing her views on WNBA players leaving the court during the US national anthem and discussing the security concerns that have come with her growing public profile.

The Indiana Fever guard addressed both topics during an appearance on comedian Theo Von’s This Past Weekend podcast, as the Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries faced criticism for being off the court during the anthem before games in the WNBA Finals.

Cunningham said the practice was not new this season, arguing that people were only recently becoming more vocal about it. She also made clear that she personally supports members of the military and takes pride in her American citizenship.

She said, “We have family members who have served,” as she wants to show appreciation for veterans and people currently serving, ading, "I’m going to show that support and I’m going to give them love," as quoted by Fox News.

The player also acknowledged that other players may have different views, adding that her position does not mean everyone in the league feels the same way.

Her comments come as the anthem controversy has attracted wider political attention during the Finals. The Dream and Valkyries have faced criticism for their pregame routine, although Cunningham noted that the practice had been happening throughout the season.

The podcast appearance also brought attention to Cunningham’s concerns about personal safety. She said she believed the FBI was monitoring around 20 people in connection with her safety, describing stalking as a downside of increased visibility.

She shared that, "I like have I think 20 I think people kind of that the FBI are watching for me. Me alone," adding, "We do have a lot of stalkers. I know I do. And like that’s a negative side of things that people don’t think about. And so you do want to feel secure."

However, she did not identify the individuals or explain the precise nature of the agency’s involvement.