Sophie Cunningham had one of the best seasons of her WNBA career. Apparently, it wasn't enough to convince a single Sixth Player of the Year voter.
Golden State Valkyries forward Janelle Salaun won the 2026 WNBA Sixth Player of the Year award after receiving all 74 first-place votes, leaving Cunningham without a first-place vote despite her impressive season off the Indiana Fever bench.
The result was particularly notable because Cunningham spent much of the season in the award conversation. Indiana even publicly promoted her candidacy late in the regular season. The voters ultimately delivered a unanimous verdict.
Sophie Cunningham thrived in Fever role
Cunningham averaged 7.9 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 0.5 steals during the regular season while shooting 46 percent from the field. Her perimeter shooting was even more impressive.
Golden State Valkyries’ Janelle Salaün Unanimously Selected as 2026 Kia WNBA Sixth Player of the Year https://t.co/ugLemRi032
— WNBA Communications (@WNBAComms) October 4, 2026Cunningham connected on 41.9 percent of her 3-point attempts, giving Indiana another dangerous floor spacer alongside Caitlin Clark, Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston.
She also brought something that was more difficult to quantify. Cunningham gave the Fever toughness.
She embraced physical matchups, defended multiple positions and frequently supplied energy off the bench when Indiana needed it. Salaun simply put together a season voters couldn't ignore.
The Golden State forward averaged 12.7 points in 40 appearances, all off the bench, and set a WNBA single-season record with 509 points as a reserve. Every voter selected her.
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Sophie Cunningham faces important offseason
The award result does not diminish what Cunningham accomplished in Indiana. Her ability to space the floor, defend and inject physicality into games made her one of the Fever's most useful complementary players.
It also came at an important time in her career.
Cunningham's contract is expiring, making her future one of Indiana's significant offseason questions. The Fever already know how well she can fit alongside their core.
Now they must determine how much maintaining that fit is worth as they build around Clark and Boston for another championship run.
Cunningham didn't win Sixth Player of the Year. Her season could still pay off in a much more important way when Indiana begins making decisions about its 2027 roster.
