Former Missouri women’s basketball and Rock Bridge High star Sophie Cunningham was traded to the Indiana Fever on Friday, where she’ll join a roster with WNBA Rookie of the Year Caitlin Clark. The news was first reported by ESPN’s Alexa Philippou.
Cunningham, 28, had spent the past six seasons with the Phoenix Mercury since being drafted with the 13th overall pick in 2019.
Her trade involved three teams and also will send the No. 19 pick in the upcoming draft to Indiana, while Phoenix is set to receive two-time WNBA all-star Satou Sabally, Kalani Brown and Sevgi Uzun, and the Dallas Wings receiving the No. 8 pick and Ty Harris, NaLyssa Smith and the rights to Mikiah Herbert Harrigan.
While with the Mercury, Cunningham played 182 games with 92 starts and averaged 7.7 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game. She is a career 36.2% shooter from 3-point range.
Cunningham played for Mizzou from 2015-19, helping coach Robin Pingeton’s squad to the Women’s NCAA Tournament in all four seasons she was on campus. The 2018-19 season, the year Cunningham graduated, also was the last time the Tigers went to the Big Dance.
In the 2015-16 season, Cunningham was named the SEC freshman of the year. In the 6-foot-1 guard’s next and final three seasons with the Tigers, she was a coaches All-SEC first-team selection, received two AP All-American honorable mention nods and one third-team All-American selection.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA – JUNE 30: Guard Sophie Cunningham #9 of the Phoenix Mercury fouls guard Caitlin Clark #22 of the Indiana Fever during the second quarter at Footprint Center on June 30, 2024 in Phoenix, Arizona.
Cunningham is Mizzou’s all-time leading scorer, finishing her career with 2,187 points. She averaged 17.0 points per game, which is third all-time in Missouri history.
The MU alum recently hosted the annual Sophie Cunningham Classic, a three-day showcase for high school girls basketball, from Jan. 10-12 at Columbia College.
More: Check out 20 top performers from the 2025 Sophie Cunningham Classic
More: Missouri basketball bracketology: Where Mizzou is seeded in latest March Madness projections
The Fever went 20-20 last season and lost in the first round of the WNBA Playoffs.
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Missouri women’s basketball alum Sophie Cunningham traded to Indiana
