Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham recently divulged several details about new basketball startup Project B, including that she asked teammate Caitlin Clark to join.
On her podcast, Show Me Something, Sophie Cunningham & West Wilson, Cunningham talked about the growing number of other leagues outside of the WNBA. The Fever guard admitted that most American players would likely play basketball in the offseason for organizations such as Project B, Unrivaled and Athletes Unlimited. However, Clark was not on that list. The veteran revealed that she attempted to recruit Clark, but was unsuccessful.’All these leagues are great, but at the end of the day, if you don’t have the [WNBA], you don’t have the platform. So, you don’t have the eyes. You don’t have the recognition,’ Cunningham said, acknowledging that the WNBA is still the preferred choice for many players, including Clark. ‘I tried to get her to play in [Project B]. She was like ‘No.”
USA TODAY reached out to Cunningham for comment.
Despite Clark turning down Cunninham’s pitch, she says she is ‘super excited’ to play with teammate Kelsey Mitchell. Cunningham gushed that after turning down Project B twice, she eventually signed on once learning more details, including having access to top treatment, charter flights and more. She also shot down the notion that Project B has ties to Saudi Arabia (a growing concern among many in basketball circles), sharing that the league was backed by four wealthy tech companies.
‘I think the people that are running it are just good, good people, ‘she said. ‘What a great time to expand my brand globally. I get to play year-round, which will help me stay in shape … I’m hitting my prime.’
In addition to Cunningham and Mitchell, several other WNBA players have joined the organization founded by former Facebook executive Grady Burnett and Skype co-founder Geoff Prentice. The ever-expanding announced list includes Seattle Storm forward Nneka Ogwumike, Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas, New York Liberty forwards Jonquel Jones and Leonie Fiebich, Las Vegas Aces guard Jewell Loyd, Chicago Sky center Kamilla Cardoso, former Washington Mystics guard Li Meng, and Golden State Valkyries forward Janelle Salaun and guard Juste Joycte.
Project B, slated to run from November 2026 to April 2027, is expected to be made up of six teams of 11 players and played on a traveling circuit overseas. The new league has emphasized player compensation, a point of contention in the WNBA’s ongoing CBA negotiations, reportedly promising to pay players salaries starting at $2 million annually.