{"id":50381,"date":"2026-04-22T10:22:31","date_gmt":"2026-04-22T14:22:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/?p=50381"},"modified":"2026-04-22T10:22:31","modified_gmt":"2026-04-22T14:22:31","slug":"sophie-cunningham-celebrates-new-wnba-season-with-baptism-declares-thank-you-jesus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/2026\/04\/sophie-cunningham-celebrates-new-wnba-season-with-baptism-declares-thank-you-jesus.html","title":{"rendered":"Sophie Cunningham Celebrates New WNBA Season With Baptism, Declares ‘Thank You, Jesus’"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
John Mac \/ Flickr | Inset: @nexusfs6 \/ TikTok<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham is stepping into the next chapter of her career with more than just a new contract\u2014she’s also publicly reaffirming her faith.<\/p>\n

Just days after signing a one-year, $665,000 deal to remain with the Fever and continue playing alongside star Caitlin Clark, Cunningham shared a deeply personal moment with fans: her adult baptism.<\/p>\n

Posting a TikTok video<\/a> about the experience, Cunningham explained that, while she had been baptized as a child, this decision had a different meaning.<\/p>\n

“I got baptized when I was little, but I was feeling a tug on my heart to do it on my terms as an adult! Such a fun, amazing day. Thank you, Jesus,” she wrote.<\/p>\n

For many believers, baptism represents a public declaration of faith and a personal commitment to follow Christ. Cunningham’s decision reflects a growing trend among athletes who are becoming more open about their spiritual journeys, using their platforms to share moments of faith with fans.<\/p>\n

Her baptism comes at an exciting time professionally as well. Cunningham is returning to an Indiana Fever team that continues to generate buzz, especially with the rising stardom of Caitlin Clark. Alongside teammate Lexie Hull, the trio gained attention last season for their chemistry on the court\u2014and even embraced a fan-given nickname, “Tres Leches.”<\/p>\n

“We saw it on Twitter at some point, and people ran with it,” Hull previously said. “It was funny.”<\/p>\n

Cunningham also earned admiration from fans for her fierce loyalty to her teammates. During a heated game against the Connecticut Sun last June, she defended Clark after a series of aggressive plays escalated into a physical altercation. Cunningham’s response sparked a brief on-court fight that resulted in multiple ejections, but it also cemented her reputation as a player willing to stand up for her team.<\/p>\n

Now heading into her second season with the Fever, expectations are high as the team looks to contend for a WNBA championship. But for Cunningham, it’s clear that her identity extends beyond basketball.<\/p>\n

Her baptism places her among a growing number of women’s basketball stars openly embracing their Christian faith. Recent top draft pick Azzi Fudd and UConn standout KK Arnold were also reportedly baptized earlier this month following their Final Four run.<\/p>\n

As Cunningham prepares for the season ahead, her message is simple but powerful: faith remains at the center of it all.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham is stepping into the next chapter of her career with more than just a new contract\u2014she’s also publicly reaffirming her faith. Just days after signing a one-year, $665,000 deal to remain with the Fever and continue playing alongside star Caitlin Clark, Cunningham shared a deeply personal moment with fans: her…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":516,"featured_media":50384,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fbia_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-50381","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-television"],"yoast_head":"\nSophie Cunningham Celebrates New WNBA Season With Baptism, Declares 'Thank You, Jesus'<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"WNBA star Sophie Cunningham celebrates her new contract with an adult baptism, sharing her faith journey and publicly thanking Jesus.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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