Sophie Cunningham has become one of the most popular women's athletes in America, not just for her impactful play for the Indiana Fever , but more so for her competitiveness on the hardwood and her unapologetic, genuine personality off it.
From taking up for any of her Fever teammates, especially superstar guard Caitlin Clark , to consistently sharing snippets of her personal life on social media, she has become a beloved sports personality.
Naturally, interest in her dating life has spiked as well. And while the eight-year pro isn't currently seeing anyone and is focused on her basketball career, she recently revealed her standard, saying any guy she dates must be taller than her.
At 6'1", it's nearly impossible not to take notice of the former Missouri ace. But as mentioned, anybody interested in catching her attention must reach her strict height requirement.
"I don't think I'm the right tall person to ask, because I could never date someone shorter than me," Cunningham revealed on the "Show Me Something" podcast. "Because I'm already big. So, I want someone who is going to make me feel smaller."
Cunningham, though, clarified that she has nothing against tall women dating shorter men, saying that if the vibe's right, she's all for it.
"There are so many guys who have taller girls! I think people have really good energy, and I love so many people," she explained.
However, Cunningham doubled down on her belief that she can't be with someone shorter than her.
"I just can't. I would just feel like the man in my relationship," she stressed.
Cunningham was previously in a long-term relationship with two-sport athlete Jacob Neidig. The two began dating sometime in 2019, but their relationship allegedly ended in May 2020.
Cunningham isn't the first WNBA star to express her dating standards — Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese also did it.
One of the most popular women's athletes in the U.S. for her unique combination of beauty and tenacity on the glass, Reese has earned herself a pretty penny through endorsement deals with Reebok, Hershey's Reese's Pieces and Beats by Dre. She hasn't been shy about making it clear that anyone she dates has to be financially secure .
"I have a standard of what I live up to and how I live my life. And as long as you can meet up to that and meet up to my expectations, then yeah," she said .
Reese clarified that any man who wants to be with her doesn't need to go out of their way to flex their money; they do, however, need to be genuine.
"Don't be going out of your way and trying to buy me stuff that you can't afford. That's like going in the store and buying a Louis Vuitton bag that's $3,000, but you can't buy it twice," the two-time All-Star added.
It's perfectly alright for these WNBA stars to set the bar high, and it's on the men to prove themselves worthy of their attention, whether that's being 6'5" for Sophie or earning enough to keep up with Angel.
Related: "It's a joke" - Sophie Cunningham exposes WNBA's biggest Caitlin Clark problem
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Jul 7, 2026, where it first appeared in the WNBA section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
