What Sophie Cunningham’s extension means for the Phoenix Mercury

This season, she’s averaging 8.2 points per game, on 42.8% shooting from the field and 37.7% shooting from three. She is also averaging 4.0 rebounds per game.

“We’re thrilled to have her,” Mercury general manager Nick U’Ren told media Sunday. “Sophie represents everything we want from a skill set standpoint. She’s been a fantastic teammate, fantastic leader for us. So [the extension was] something that I think, on both sides, we wanted to get done.”

Over the last several years, Cunningham has evolved into one of the Mercury’s key role players. She began her career coming off the bench and started all but eight games in 2022 and every game in 2023. This year, she returned to her role as the Mercury’s sixth woman, but head coach Nate Tibbetts frequently referred to her as the Mercury’s “sixth starter.”

Due to injuries to center Brittney Griner and wing Rebecca Allen throughout the season, Cunningham has found herself in the starting lineup in 19 games. She’s also rotated through different positions, lining up anywhere from point guard to power forward, while guarding both perimeter players and posts.

“When sometimes you’re starting, sometimes you’re not, depends who’s hurt, who’s not hurt. You just have to stay ready,” Cunningham told reporters in August. “And I think that’s the biggest thing in this league, is that there’s a lot of phenomenal players, and the people who are ready and able to adjust, those are the people who stay in the league. And so for myself, I just really do what the team needs. And I’m not just saying that. So days where I need to start, I’m going to start. If they need energy off the bench, I’m going to come be a dog off the bench.”

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Cunningham has been a staple on the Mercury’s roster for the last six years. Although her short career has been filled with lots of turnover in the coaching staff and front office, Cunningham has come to see Phoenix as her home away from home.

At times, she said she considered exploring other options until new owner Mat Ishbia took over the team and started working to invest in the Mercury and the women’s game.

“I love the vision and the culture that we’ve created already in a year of new people in the front office and a new coaching staff,” Cunningham said Sunday. “And so for me, I just love the vision, and I’m going to be a part of it. I’m going to be excited about it, and I’m genuinely, really excited to see what the future holds with me and the Phoenix Mercury.”

Already, Cunningham has made her mark on the Mercury organization. On Aug. 28, she moved into the Mercury’s top-10 all-time leading scorers. Her fiery passion on the court has been a trademark during her time in the WNBA, translating to grit and effort that make her an asset to the team.

“You need those players,” U’Ren said. “Obviously, you need the top-end star talent, but you need the Sophie Cunninghams who grease the wheels. Her shooting ability makes things easier for everybody. She’s tough as nails. She plays night in and night out. Her shot profile is really, really clean. So I think she’s a perfect iteration of the type of player you need to get to the top and to win at a high level.”

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With Cunningham now signed through next season, the Mercury have some more clarity going into the offseason. She joins Allen, wing Kahleah Copper and guard Natasha Cloud as the only players signed to the Mercury’s roster for next season, according to Her Hoop Stats.

“I think that’s a huge benefit for us,” U’Ren said. “I mean, the first benefit is having Sophie locked in. But second, it’s another key piece that we know we don’t have to worry about or wonder about in the offseason, and we can continue to put the pieces together to try to put together a highly achieving team.”

In addition to helping clear up some of the uncertainty of next year’s roster, the timing of the deal getting done now as opposed to in the offseason was also a product of both sides’ certainty in wanting Cunningham to remain in Phoenix. 

“[It] just kind of is who I am,” Cunningham said. “I committed out of the eighth grade. I knew I wanted to go to Mizzou, so why even go through the recruiting process? This is kind of the same mindset. I know I’m coming back to Phoenix, so why even waste people’s time? Why even waste my time? … I just want to be focused in this offseason. … I know where my heart lies, so why not just get it done?”

Additionally, with the deal done, Cunningham can focus on finishing out this season and helping Phoenix make a run in the playoffs. The Mercury currently hold the seventh seed and will likely face the Minnesota Lynx in the first round.

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