Midwest
Sophie Cunningham criticizes WNBA’s new expansion cities: ‘Not so sure what the thought process is’
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The WNBA announced Monday it is expanding to 18 teams by the end of 2030, with franchises headed to Philadelphia, Detroit and Cincinnati.
It is continued growth for the league, which has the Golden State Valkyries, its 13th team, playing in its inaugural season. Toronto and Portland are due to get teams next season.
Despite more opportunities, one WNBA star isn’t exactly thrilled with the move.
Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham runs up the court during a game against the Dallas Wings at the American Airlines Center June 27, 2025. (Jerome Miron/Imagn Images)
Sophie Cunningham, a teammate of Caitlin Clark’s on the Indiana Fever, praised the league for its efforts, saying, “You want to listen to your players, too,” while doubting players will be excited to be in the Midwest.
“Like, where do they want to play? Where are they going to get excited to play and draw fans? I think Miami would have been a great one. Everyone loves Florida. Nashville is an amazing city. Kansas City — amazing opportunity. There’s a huge arena downtown that no one’s using,” Cunningham added Tuesday afternoon. “I’m not so sure what the thought process is there.
“At the end of the day, you don’t want to expand our league too fast. We don’t want teams to totally dominate and some that aren’t. It’s a hard situation, but, man, I don’t know how excited people are to be going to Detroit or [Cleveland].”
Each city Cunningham mentioned submitted a bid for expansion.
Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham in the second half against the Connecticut Sun at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis June 17, 2025. (Trevor Ruszkowski/Imagn Images)
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This will mark the second time the WNBA will be in Detroit. The Shock won three WNBA titles before relocating to Tulsa in 2010. They then moved to Dallas to become the Wings.
Cleveland will begin play in 2028, Detroit in 2029 and Philadelphia the season after, assuming they get approval from the NBA and WNBA Board of Governors.
“The demand for women’s basketball has never been higher, and we are thrilled to welcome Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia to the WNBA family,” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said. “This historic expansion is a powerful reflection of our league’s extraordinary momentum, the depth of talent across the game and the surging demand for investment in women’s professional basketball.”
Other cities to submit expansion bids were St. Louis, Austin, Denver, Charlotte and Houston, the latter of which had the Comets, which won the first four WNBA championships.
Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham poses for a photo April 30, 2025, during Indiana Fever media day at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. (Grace Smith/IndyStar/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)
“There are a variety of cities that obviously bid, and one of those I wanted to shout out — because they have such a strong history in this league and their great ownership group — is Houston,” Engelbert said. “The Houston Comets were just an amazing one, the first four inaugural championships in the WNBA. So, I would say that’s the one, obviously, we have our eye on. (Owner) Tilman (Fertitta) has been a great supporter of the WNBA, and we’ll stay tuned on that.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Step into North Division High School on a Monday night, and you’ll hear the sound of students playing basketball and see others playing in the game room. Three nights a week, the school turns from a place of learning into a recreation center.
North Division High School is one of eight Milwaukee high schools that host Twilight Centers, a Milwaukee Recreation program.
“Twilight Centers are meant to get teenagers off the street at night and provide a safe haven,” said Jason Blocker, Twilight Center supervisor.
Many come to the centers every night they’re open, he said.
Blocker said he sees about 50 to 60 students on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays at North Division, and just as many at Washington High School of Information Technology, another Twilight Center site he supervises.
Centers are staffed with student and adult monitors who check in on students at all times. Blocker said students are often respectful of the space and stick to their activities, especially with monitors around.
All kinds of fun
Students in the mood for more relaxing activities can go to the game room to play video games on the Xbox or PlayStation, or air hockey and pool. Students also have access to computers to do homework, look for jobs and safely browse the internet.
North Division’s pool is also open for swimming during Twilight Center hours. Two student lifeguards monitor swimmers at all times.
Blocker said the pool at Washington is under renovation, so those wishing to swim should go to North Division’s Twilight Center.
Centers offer snacks like chocolate milk, cheese sticks and crackers in the cafeteria each night, Blocker said.
The center also offers different enrichment activities. If students attend enough, they get to go on a field trip at the end of the semester.
One semester, students attended a Milwaukee Bucks basketball game, Blocker said. For another, they went to Dave and Buster’s. He said about 20 students at North Division end up going on the field trip.
When it’s time to leave, Milwaukee Recreation has free bus passes to help students get home.
Where to find your local Twilight Center
This semester, most Twilight Centers are open Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. Six centers serve students ages 12 to 18, and two serve ages 10 to 14.
Blocker said children of other ages can come if they’re accompanied by an adult, but snacks are limited to children and teens.
He said you must be a student to attend, but you don’t have to go to an MPS school.
If you’re an MPS student, all you need to go to a Twilight Center is your “s number,” the same number you use to get lunch, Blocker said.
Students who don’t go to MPS can provide information about their identity and age and will get a card to use on future Twilight Center visits.
This allows Milwaukee Recreation staff to identify everyone at the Twilight Center to maintain security and let parents know their child is at the center if they ask.
Twilight Centers: Ages 10 to 14
Andrew Douglas Middle School: 3620 N. 18th St.
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday: 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Bay View High School: 2751 S. Lenox St.
Friday and Saturday: 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Twilight Centers: Ages 12 to 18
James Madison High School: 8135 W. Florist Ave.
Monday and Wednesday: 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Saturday: 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
North Division High School: 1011 W. Center St.
Monday and Wednesday: 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Saturday: 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Obama School of Career and Technical Education: 5075 N. Sherman Blvd.
Monday, Wednesday: 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Saturday: 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Casimir Pulaski High School: 2500 W. Oklahoma Ave.
Monday and Wednesday: 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Saturday: 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
South Division High School: 1515 W. Lapham Blvd.
Monday and Wednesday: 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Saturday: 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Washington High School of Information Technology: 2525 N. Sherman Blvd.
Monday, Wednesday: 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
and Saturday: 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
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