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Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham responds to allegations of affair with Suns, Mercury CEO

Brian Jones Profile Picby:Brian Jones•05/21/25•

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Sophie Cunningham (2)
May 4, 2025; Iowa City, IA, USA; Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham (8) reacts during the third quarter against the Brazil National Team at Carver-Haweye Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Indiana Fever star Sophie Cunningham is breaking her silence on the accusations that she had an affair with Phoenix Suns and Mercury CEO Josh Bartelstein. Cunningham, who previously played for the Mercury, released a statement on social media and denied the accusations.

“I am deeply saddened by the recent false accusations made against me by Gene Traylor, someone I do not know and have never met,” Cunningham’s statement reads. “Let me be clear his statements are untrue and extremely hurtful.”

Cunningham added, “To the media who reported on this, I have always spoken the truth and been transparent with any press inquiry, In this instance, it feels irresponsible that I was never asked for a comment about the accusation before several clickbait stories that went to print. I will not let untrue gossip take my focus away from what is most important to me, which is basketball, my supportive team and my fans.”

Stacey Mitch, the Suns’ senior vice president of communications, issues a statement on behalf of the team. “The recent reports concerning Josh Bartelstein and Sophie Cunningham are entirely false and morally reprehensible,” Mitch said. “Let’s be absolutely clear about the origin of these claims.”

More on Sophie Cunningham and the Suns and Mercury CEO

Gene Traylor, a Suns employee and former director of safety, security and risk management, alleges he told Bartelstein that Cornelius Craig, the Suns’ vice president of security and risk management, had been telling people that Bartelstein was allegedly having an affair with Sophie Cunningham. In the lawsuit, against Suns Legacy Partners, LLC, Traylor alleges racial discrimination and harassment, unlawful retaliation and security issues, according to the New York Post.

Josh Bartelstein, 35, has been married to his wife, Sydney, for at least two years. He has been the CEO of the Suns and Mercury since April 2023 and played college basketball at Michigan.

Sophie Cunningham, 28, joined the Fever this year after spending six seasons with the Mercury. In her six seasons with the Mercury, Cunningham averaged 7.7 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game.

In April, Cunningham spoke to the New York Post about playing with Caitlin Clark. “I think that since I’ve been out here in Phoenix it hasn’t always been easy,” she said. “There’s been a lot of trials. There’s been a lot of lessons learned, a lot of experiences that I thought was just like any WNBA team, but I think it’s built me. It’s made me tougher. It’s tested my persistence and my mental quite a bit. “I think it’s built me for something bigger and better, and the stage that we’re about to be on with the players that I’m about to be with — I think I am built for this.”