USA Network has added Sophie Cunningham to its 2026 WNBA coverage team, bringing the Fever guard into studio coverage here and there throughout the season as the league’s television footprint expands under its new media deal. The network will air 50 regular season games next year, along with WNBA playoff and Finals games.
Cunningham said last month that broadcasting appeals to her because she loves sports, talking to people and learning their stories. She also said she enjoys breaking down basketball from the inside, adding that when she is asked to commentate, she knows the game, sees plays and understands why teams use different schemes.
For USA Network, the addition gives its WNBA package a player’s voice with recent first-hand experience. Cunningham was traded to the Fever last offseason after spending the first six seasons of her career with the Mercury, and she is not expected to retire before the 2026 season, leaving open the possibility that she could still be balancing playing and broadcasting when the games begin.
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The schedule matters because USA Network’s 2026 slate will not be limited to a handful of showcase events. Weekly doubleheaders will air on Wednesdays throughout the season, with Cunningham contributing to studio coverage on an unspecified number of games. That leaves the network with a familiar broadcast challenge and an easy sell: a player who can explain the action while the season is still unfolding around her.
Cunningham has already said she hopes broadcasting turns into something more permanent after her playing days are over. “Maybe there’s going to be a career there when I’m done playing basketball that that’s what I’ll get right into,” she said, adding, “I’m excited for that.” That is the clearest sign that her role with USA Network is more than a one-off guest spot; it is the start of a path that could outlast her time on the court.
