Sophie Cunningham has revealed she has spoken directly with NBA commissioner Adam Silver about what comes next for the WNBA.
The Indiana Fever guard said Silver reached out to her as the league prepares to find a replacement for commissioner Cathy Engelbert, who recently announced she will retire at the end of the year.
“I have talked to Adam Silver a couple times, and I think he’s a great guy,” Cunningham said, according to ESPN. “He was very knowledgeable and full of wisdom, and so getting to talk to him and hear his perspective of how he approaches the NBA is huge, who he’s kind of looking for. I think if you want to know the real answers, you go to him.
“But I think he’s going to put someone in place who really wants to take our league to another level than it’s already at. Our league is booming, so why would we not [want] someone who’s going to make it even more booming?”
Cunningham didn’t name any potential candidates, but she made it clear what she wants from the WNBA’s next leader.
For Cunningham, building a strong relationship between the commissioner’s office and the players should be near the top of the list.
“I really do think that you need a commissioner who is players-first, who wants a relationship with their players,” Cunningham said, according to ESPN. “I think that’s so important. That doesn’t mean we’re always going to get along and we’re always going to agree. Like, they have a job, they work for the owners, and so they’re going to have to make hard decisions. But if you have that open line of communication and that respect level, I think that it just feels different. I think that is a very important piece for our new commissioner.”
With the WNBA continuing to experience significant growth in attendance, television audiences and merchandise sales, Cunningham’s message is simple: the next commissioner needs to keep that momentum moving.
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