Indiana Fever's Sophie Cunningham ignited a significant debate within the WNBA community following the league's announcement of expansion to Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia. While supportive of league growth, Cunningham vocalized concerns from a player's perspective, questioning the level of excitement and market fit for players going to Detroit or Cleveland. She suggested alternative cities like Miami and Nashville, emphasizing the importance of player comfort, team buy-in, and the ability to draw fans from the outset. Cunningham's stance underscored a desire for a measured pace of expansion, prioritizing organic growth and established fan bases over rapid franchise additions.

Her comments, particularly those directed at Cleveland, quickly drew a sharp response from Cleveland Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell. Mitchell, a prominent figure in Cleveland's sports scene, succinctly countered Cunningham's skepticism with a tweet stating, “Cleveland in the summertime.” This brief yet potent message served as a high-powered rebuttal, signifying the city's pride and readiness to embrace a WNBA team. Mitchell's intervention elevated the conversation, moving it beyond mere off-season noise into what some described as "narrative warfare."

Both the cities of Cleveland and Detroit swiftly followed suit, leveraging their official X accounts to defend their respective markets and showcase their deep-rooted support for women's basketball. Detroit delivered a compelling history lesson, reminding critics that when it was home to the Detroit Shock, the team consistently ranked among the top five in WNBA attendance for five straight seasons, held the No. 1 spot for three seasons, and set a single-game attendance record of 22,076 fans during the 2003 WNBA Finals. Cleveland, echoing a similar sentiment, tweeted directly to Cunningham, asserting that any player coming to the city would experience the "legendary passion Cleveland sports fans show our teams."

These responses from a prominent NBA star and the city's official channels highlighted that player opinion, while valid, is not the sole determinant of a market's viability. Fan culture, historical attendance, and civic legacy play equally crucial roles. What began as a casual conversation about expansion quickly escalated into a display of strong city rivalries, with Detroit and Cleveland effectively countering Cunningham's doubts with facts, passion, and vivid game-day memories, demonstrating their unwavering commitment to women's professional basketball.