Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham (8) warms up before a game Friday, Aug. 15, 2025, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham has made headlines over the past several days as a result of her high-profile stance on transgender athletes. Now, she is receiving some pushback from a high-profile woman in sports media.This week, SiriusXMs Katie Nolan had some strong words for Cunningham as she claimed that the WNBA lacks critical-thinking skills for failing to identify the larger context of her comments.Cunningham Has Spoken OutDuring a recent interview for an ESPN profile, Cunningham was asked about her political beliefs specifically, the MAGA Barbie nickname that has followed her in recent months. In her response, the Fever star spoke out against trans athletes.I got a lot of negative feedback about me hating trans. And Im like, I never once said that, she told ESPN. I think that I am here to extend love. But I also think with that love is truth, being honest. And I want to protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldnt have to go against biological men.A few days later, Cunningham doubled down on her controversial stance.I said what I said. I think its kind of common sense, Cunningham said earlier this week. And I think Ill always believe in that. I think its really important to protect children, and thats little girls who are also involved in that category. I stand on what I said.Cunningham addressed the issue for a third time in a post on X while responding to a recent incident involving two teenage girls who alleged they were verbally confronted by a Seattle Storm co-owner, who has since been suspended.I truly believe there is a safe space and love for EVERYBODY. Biological girls, biological boys, trans women, and trans men. Everyone is welcome at my table! You can disagree and still be kind, Cunningham wrote in a post on X. Bravo to those girls for standing up for what they believe. Youll be hearing from me soon yay for gifts. Truly embarrassing of the co-owner.Cunningham was not made available to the media following the teams win over the Seattle Storm this week, but before Friday nights game against the Portland Fire, Cunningham made it clear that she has no intention of running or hiding from the criticism she has been receiving.You dont really have critical thinking skillsFollowing Cunninghams comments, Nolan offered a scathing criticism of Cunninghams words and actions on her Casualspodcastthis week. In comments addressed to Cunningham directly, Nolan blasted Cunningham for her intentions and motivations as she dissected the political landscape as a whole.One side politically is incredibly invested in this issue, and thats because one side politically doesnt have a lot of other issues that theyve got pretty big approval on, Nolan said.And now I am of the belief that the reason they have big approval on this is because people keep saying sentences like, I dont want little girls to have to go against biological men. Because on its face that sounds like something is common sense. Thats not what anybodys asking for. Nobody is saying we should get rid of, for example, the WNBA and the NBA, and everybody should just compete together. Nobodys saying that. And so the people that are packaging it as that are doing so on purpose. And when you are consuming it and going, How could anyone disagree with this statement? You never consider that its because the statement itself does not reflect the actual issue that were discussing.Nolan went as far as to say that Cunningham wasnt applying basic critical-thinking skills to the issue and is being manipulated by those invested in pedaling this issue to people.All youre telling us, Sophie, is that you dont really have critical-thinking skills, or that you arent interested in employing them, Nolan said. Youre taking the message thats being given to you by people who are highly invested in this dividing stuff, and youre helping them sell it by not questioning it at all. Which is extra crazy given the fact that youre surrounded by people you could talk to about this issue to better understand it.Nolan went on to point out that many governing bodies have already banned trans athletes from competing, and the Trump administration has aggressively pursued restrictive policies across all sports, with both the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee and the NCAA.Youve already won, quote-unquote, in that way. And yet you and others seem unwilling to let this go, Nolan said, again addressing Cunningham. Or to even learn a little bit more about it, consider what the other side is trying to say. You just keep saying, Well, Im against men fighting against women, and I think its crazy that youre not. What if you considered that thats not what other people are arguing? What if you considered youre misunderstanding the issue, and then consider that thats because that was beneficial to whoevers [freaking] playing you?The post You dont really have critical-thinking skills: Sophie Cunningham faces criticism from Katie Nolan appeared first on The Comeback: Todays Top Sports Stories & Reactions.