Sophie Cunningham Reveals Savvy Plan For Massive WNBA Pay Raise originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Sophie Cunningham waited a long time for WNBA players to receive a significant financial boost. Now that the money has arrived, the Indiana Fever guard is determined to make it last.
Cunningham signed a one-year, $665,000 contract to remain with Indiana during the offseason, a substantial raise made possible by the WNBA’s new collective bargaining agreement. The deal is worth nearly $100,000 more than the $569,022 Cunningham earned across her first seven seasons combined, according to Spotrac.
Rather than celebrating the new contract with a massive shopping spree, the 30-year-old is putting her money to work.
ESPN wrote a report detailing Cunningham’s growing real estate portfolio. The veteran guard has purchased vacation properties in Arizona and rents them out on a short-term basis. She also hires a company to manage the properties, allowing her to focus on basketball while continuing to fund the business.
And Cunningham’s plan is only getting started.
Cunningham Eyeing Nashville, Florida PropertiesCunningham told ESPN that she is considering adding properties in Nashville and Florida. Her strategy is not just about selecting potentially attractive rental markets, either. She wants to invest in destinations she would enjoy visiting herself.
“I’m about to probably buy one in Nashville and Florida, and so I’m just starting to make a business outside of the court,” Cunningham said, per ESPN. “It’s good, it’s fun. I’m trying to buy places that I want to go visit, so when I’m there, I don’t have to pay for it.”
It is a practical approach from Cunningham, who spent the first six seasons of her WNBA career with the Phoenix Mercury before joining the Fever in 2025. Her new contract reflects how dramatically the financial picture has changed for WNBA players. Cunningham also understands that a higher salary can disappear quickly without proper planning.
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Fever Veteran Sends Message To WNBA PlayersCunningham stressed the importance of players being “smart with that money” after waiting years for a substantial increase. She said players cannot simply spend everything without considering investments or their lives after basketball.
“I think it allows all of us to kind of grow and be businesswomen,” Cunningham said.
Cunningham’s decision provides a different perspective on the WNBA’s new financial era. The improved salaries give players greater security, but they also create opportunities to establish businesses and build wealth that can extend well beyond their playing careers. For Cunningham, the goal is clear. She is using her Fever contract to develop a business that can continue producing income long after she takes her final shot.
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