U.S. President Donald Trump called Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham “beautiful” at a campaign rally on Monday. He joked that teams appreciate the WNBA player for her ability to draw fans rather than score points.
The president was campaigning for Republican candidates before the November 3 midterm elections. Trump explained that many men want to watch Cunningham, adding that one had to be careful praising a woman’s appearance politically.
“Hey, you have a lot of men wanting to go and watch her. She’s beautiful,” Trump said. “You’re not allowed to say that anymore, however. As a politician, please, please, let me take it back.”
“Anytime a politician says a woman is beautiful, that’s generally the end of his political career in the modern-day political world,” he added. “But Sophie is a beautiful young woman.”
Discussing her potential benefit to a team, the president went on, “You probably wouldn’t mind her on the team, not to help you with points, but to help you with attendance. The attendance would be quite good.”
His comments drew criticism from those who thought Trump focused on Cunningham’s appearance rather than her on-court skills. Nevertheless, others agreed with him because it became clear she drew fans, and she will become a free agent soon.
Last year, Cunningham averaged 7.9 points per game and made 41.9% of three-point shots. She was one of the Fever’s main bench players, adding a physical presence alongside their star, Caitlin Clark.
Off the court, she has built a large fan base through her physical style of play and social media presence. Moreover, she has been criticized for opposing transgender athletes playing in the women’s sport.
