Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham says she has hired a security detail that will accompany her around the clock, following revelations that she is being watched by dozens of stalkers whom the FBI is monitoring.
Cunningham made the disclosure on Monday’s episode of her podcast, No Hesitations, describing how her sudden rise to national prominence this year has made it difficult to move freely in public.
“I will say… definitely in certain places people kind of knew who I was and I couldn’t really go anywhere,” Cunningham said. “Now it doesn’t matter what state, what city, it’s everywhere.”
“And so I’ve hired security, and they’re going to start traveling with me actually next week, 24/7. So that’s a little different. It kind of stops you from your regular routine.”
The security arrangement follows an earlier admission from Cunningham that she has been the target of multiple stalkers.
“There’s also a lot of kind of crazy people too,” Cunningham told co-host Von. “We do have a lot of stalkers, I know I do… And that’s the negative side of things that people don’t think about… I have 20, I think, people kind of that the FBI are watching for me.”
Asked about the backlash and harassment she’s faced online, Cunningham said she doesn’t let it affect her.
“I’m still a dweeb, but I think you know that,” she told co-host Drew Hanlen. “… It’s all these people who are so unhappy or just, honestly, psychotic that are so mean and have so much hatred in their heart, and if you want to take it out on me, fine. I’m the one who can handle it.”
Cunningham’s profile rose sharply this year after she told ESPN she wants to “protect young girls in sport who shouldn’t have to go against biological men,” a comment defending the integrity of women’s sports competition. The remarks drew protesters to Fever games, particularly on the coasts and in Minnesota, where demonstrators who favor allowing biological men to compete in women’s sports turned out against her.
