Cunningham’s Instagram Surge Brings Around-the-Clock Security
Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham gained nearly 3 million Instagram followers from May to November 2026 and said she is hiring 24-hour security as her fame makes ordinary outings more difficult.
Cunningham added more than 2.95 million Instagram followers between May 8 and November 2, bringing her total to about 4.36 million. That increase exceeded the combined gains of the other 49 most-followed WNBA players and the increase recorded by any NBA player in the comparison described by branding and social media agency bknown. Her following more than tripled over the period.
The 30-year-old said on her No Hesitation podcast on November 2 that security staff would begin traveling with her around the clock the following week. She described being recognized in different cities and said the attention had made it harder to keep a regular routine or spend uninterrupted time with family. Cunningham said she still welcomes meeting fans, but has been working out how to set boundaries.
Her rising profile has coincided with attention to her comments about transgender athletes in women’s sports. In July, she told ESPN she wanted to protect young girls from competing against biological men, remarks that prompted rallies at Indiana Fever games. Cunningham has also said she has about 20 stalkers whom the FBI is monitoring. A man arrested in June faces felony stalking and intimidation charges and a misdemeanor charge over a package delivered to her at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in September 2025. Cunningham is a free agent after the Fever’s first-round playoff exit.