Sophie Cunningham launches new podcast after previous co-host shared opposing views on trans athletes
Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham has returned to podcasting with a new co-host after her previous partner publicly shared an opposing position to Cunningham on the topic of transgender athletes in women’s sports.
Cunningham launched "No Hesitation" alongside prominent basketball trainer Drew Hanlen on Thursday. The program replaces "Show Me Something," the podcast she previously hosted with "Summer House" personality West Wilson.
"Show Me Something" stopped releasing episodes this summer. Its social media accounts and YouTube channel have since been rebranded under the "No Hesitation" name. Neither Cunningham, Wilson nor The Volume has publicly said the disagreement over transgender athletes caused the change or formally explained Wilson’s departure.
Wilson publicly shared his opposing view on the trans athlete issue, shortly after an ESPN profile reported her belief that women’s sports should remain reserved for biological females.
Wilson called transgender participation in American sports a "borderline non-existent issue" and accused conservatives, politicians, athletes and news organizations of portraying transgender people as a disproportionate threat.
Cunningham, meanwhile, stood by her position.
"I said what I said. I think it’s common sense," she told reporters in July. "I think I’ll always believe in that. It’s really important to protect children, and that’s little girls who are also involved in that category."
Cunningham has repeatedly said she does not hate transgender people and believes there is room to love everyone. However, she has also maintained that the rights, safety and opportunities of biological women must be protected.
Cunningham and Hanlen did not discuss Wilson or the transgender-athlete dispute during the debut episode of "No Hesitation." Instead, Cunningham introduced the new show as a place for candid basketball discussions.
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"I just felt like there was not a podcast or really any social media out there that gave you real, honest truth about basketball and strictly basketball," Cunningham said.
Hanlen acknowledged the political attention Cunningham has attracted and suggested the public often receives a distorted impression of her.
"People think you’re like some troll and make statements, but really it’s 99% of the time people ask you a question, you answer, you give your opinion, and then people blow it up and act like you made a big political statement," Hanlen said.
"Stop asking me questions if you don’t want the truth," Cunningham responded.
The conversation later turned to the way the WNBA and its players are covered. Cunningham said media attention and award voting can be driven by popularity and politics instead of on-court performance.
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"I think it’s very political," Cunningham said. "I think there’s a lot of people who are really, really great who don’t get the credit because maybe they don’t have the popularity or they don’t have the platform."
"I don’t know if there’s voting fatigue," she added. "I just don’t know how accurate the voting is at times."
Cunningham also agreed with Hanlen’s contention that WNBA media members frequently prioritize subjects other than basketball.
"I think you kind of hit it when you said the WNBA media pretty much covers everything but basketball," Cunningham said.
She later called on WNBA reporters to emphasize the league’s players and their achievements.
"Now it’s on the WNBA media to actually tell the good stories, to tell the positive stories, to actually talk about basketball and how freaking awesome our league is playing this year," Cunningham said. "History is being made this year."
Cunningham’s position echoed comments she made during the controversy over transgender participation. She said in August that she wanted to "get back to basketball" and argued the sport was being played at its highest level. ESPN reported at the time that rallies and counterprotests had followed the Fever on the road after her initial comments.
The debut episode also featured Cunningham’s blunt assessment of Caitlin Clark’s influence on the league.
Hanlen compared Clark’s effect on women’s basketball to the transformative impact Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods had on their sports. Cunningham said the effect should be obvious, even if other stars also contributed to the WNBA’s growth.
"I should not get in trouble for knowing the obvious," Cunningham said. "That doesn’t mean there wasn’t greatness before her."
"The talent has always, always been there," she added. "But now, us players, we just have the platform and the eyes, and companies want to be a part of something great and something that is growing."
Cunningham also offered a list of priorities for the WNBA’s next commissioner. Cathy Engelbert recently announced that she will retire at the end of 2026 after seven years leading the league. The WNBA credited Engelbert with overseeing major increases in attendance, viewership, franchise valuations and media revenue. The league also noted that it is expanding from 12 teams to 18 by 2030.
Cunningham said the next commissioner’s first priority should be ensuring every franchise has an adequate practice facility.
"There are teams in the WNBA — which, this is, we are the best league in the entire world — that there are people practicing at, like, YMCAs," Cunningham said. "They’re sharing a court by a curtain when there’s, like, YMCA youth camps going on one side and a team practicing on the other. Is that not insane? A couple teams don’t even have a weight room."
Cunningham said some owners were being "very cheap" and failing to provide professional players with appropriate resources.
"That should be the bare freaking minimum," she said.
She also called for a commissioner who communicates directly with players, remains firm under pressure and can unite a politically divided league.
"They need to be bold. They need to be confident," Cunningham said. "We’re not always going to agree, but I think there’s a level of respect that you can have and just being a human, being friendly and nice. I think that’s a really good start."
Cunningham said "No Hesitation" will continue focusing on film study, strategy and the personalities driving professional basketball. The program is scheduled to release new episodes each Thursday.
