Fever's Sophie Cunningham Blasted by Owner of One of NBA's Top Teams For Recent Comments

Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham surprised basketball fans, owners and players with recent comments on Detroit's forthcoming WNBA expansion team, which is scheduled to become part of the league's landscape in 2029. 

Cunningham questioned the WNBA's decision to give Detroit an expansion team in light of other potential destinations including Miami, Nashville and Kanas City. 

On Tuesday, the owner of one of the NBA's top 2024-25 teams and a well known billionaire took to his X account to call out Cunningham for her comments, just hours after his group of investors was granted a WNBA franchise scheduled to start play one year prior to Detroit's. 

Dan Gilbert (L) and son Grant at the 25th Greater Cleveland Sports Awards this winter, during which Gilbert received a lifetime achievement award. 

© Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"Come on Sophie, obviously you haven't been to Detroit or Cleveland... you should support your Midwest sisters in this league and these two great cities that you're going to come to know and love very shortly," Gilbert said on X along with a retweet of video of Cunningham's comments. 

Gilbert's Cavaliers had the best record in the Eastern Conference last season at 64-18 before losing to the Indiana Pacers in five games in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals. 

His Rock Entertainment Group was given a new Cleveland expansion team set to take the court in 2028, one year before Detroit's new team.  

"The WNBA's return to Cleveland marks a pivotal moment for women's sports,' Gilbert said amid the league's announcement of its expansion to 18 teams.

"The passion, support and continued excitement of our fans and community for our professional sports teams played an essential role in making this possible," Gilbert added, thanking the league and its commissioner Cathy Englebert for the new team.