Phoenix Mercury star guard Sophie Cunningham certainly turned some heads with her pregame outfit ahead of the team’s game against the New York Liberty on Monday night, but not everyone is happy with her choice of wardrobe.
Ahead of Monday’s game, the Phoenix Mercury shared a video of Sophie Cunningham walking into the arena wearing a very short and rather revealing dress that showed off her bikini tan lines. And the team’s captain leaned into the scandalous nature of the dress, too.
“this week a hot new bombshell enters the villa,” the Mercury’s official account said in a post on X, the social media website that was formerly known as Twitter.
this week a hot new bombshell enters the villa pic.twitter.com/iNaeMPcjv2
— Phoenix Mercury (@PhoenixMercury) August 27, 2024
The caption is in reference to the hit reality show Love Island, where contestants routinely wear very revealing attire.
Cunningham was clearly feeling quite confident in her dress and the social media team was having a bit of fun with the caption, but not everyone seemed to enjoy it. Many people took to social media to criticize her outfit, labeling it as “inappropriate” to wear ahead of a game. They also criticized the social media team for the post.
I’ve seen episodes of Love Island, I would never want to imply that 1 of the professional basketball players on my roster is anything like those girls
There are a billion ways to compliment one’s appearance without reducing them to a bimbo
This was a weird tweet from the team… https://t.co/BlqkxYcwPm
— EVRYDAY Carter (@EVRYDAYCarter) August 27, 2024
lol. Man. We playing ball or nah https://t.co/u2lMyyeR8F
— B I G◇W O L F 🐺 (@IKEv2_) August 27, 2024
hot???? please put clothes on or atleast underwear https://t.co/nnHrON92vs
— sophia (@lvhusk1e) August 27, 2024
Put some clothes on heaux this ain’t Love Island! https://t.co/Be64sb0PCF
— Hoops Hottie😛 (@autumn_yapping) August 27, 2024
But it's about Basketball right??
More attention to the drama of the WNBA and what the women are wearing then actually Hooping…
— AG (@AG_NBA_X) August 27, 2024
is this a basketball account? she finna go hoop?
— Koni💫 (@konigoat) August 27, 2024
So we’re supposed to take this league seriously lol.
— Bruce (@Bruce_liny) August 27, 2024
I thought they were athletes and basketball players …
— Marv Henry (@pedalthroughit) August 27, 2024
Clearly, people were not happy about the post or her attire.