Phoenix Mercury guard Sophie Cunningham has been assigned round-the-clock security protection following escalating concerns over stalking incidents, according to a report from the Indianapolis Star. The WNBA player's safety detail comes as league officials and team management respond to growing threats against the athlete.
Cunningham, who has played for the Mercury since being drafted in 2019, is one of the league's prominent perimeter players. The security measure reflects increasing attention to player safety issues in professional women's sports, where athletes have reported rising incidents of harassment and stalking in recent years.
The Mercury organization and WNBA have not released specific details about the nature of the threats or the duration of the security arrangement. League protocols for player protection have been strengthened across multiple teams as awareness of off-court safety risks continues to grow.
