Sophie Cunningham announces public appearance for Adidas shoe launch near Chicago

1 hour ago 3

Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham will meet fans at a Hibbett store in Illinois to celebrate the release of her first public Adidas player-exclusive basketball shoe.

Sophie Cunningham is taking her growing popularity from the basketball court to the sneaker market.

The Indiana Fever guard will make a public appearance at a Hibbett store in Romeoville, Ill., on Friday, July 24, to celebrate the release of the Adidas Crazy Energy “Sophie Cunningham” PE.

Cunningham is scheduled to appear from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. CT. The event will give fans an opportunity to meet the veteran guard and purchase her new player-exclusive shoe on its official release date.

“Not to point fingers, but you should be there,” Hibbett wrote while announcing the appearance, cleverly referencing the viral moment Cunningham shared with Phoenix Mercury forward DeWanna Bonner earlier this season.

“Meet Sophie and celebrate the launch of the Crazy Energy ‘Sophie Cunningham’ PE, the shoe for hoopers who don’t wait to be chosen. Bag your pair, take the spotlight, and Take Yours.”

Here is everything to know about Cunningham’s first public Adidas PE and her upcoming appearance.

Sophie Cunningham appearance details

Cunningham will make her appearance at the Hibbett store in Romeoville, located approximately 30 miles southwest of Chicago. The event falls during a short break in Indiana’s schedule. The Fever will face the Connecticut Sun on July 22 before receiving five days off ahead of their July 28 game against the Seattle Storm.

Here are the announced details:

Date: Friday, July 24
Time: 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. CT
Location: Hibbett in Romeoville, Ill.
Event: Adidas Crazy Energy “Sophie Cunningham” PE launch
Shoe price: $120

Hibbett has not announced whether Cunningham will sign a specific number of autographs or whether fans must purchase the shoe to participate in the event.

Sophie Cunningham’s Adidas shoe release

The Adidas Crazy Energy “Sophie Cunningham” PE will be available to the public beginning July 24 for $120. The shoe features a vibrant pink-to-white gradient colorway that reflects Cunningham’s colorful personality and energetic playing style. The model also includes Adidas branding and performance technology designed for basketball.

Cunningham’s release is a PE, or player-exclusive colorway, rather than a traditional signature shoe. That distinction means Adidas created Cunningham’s personal version of an existing Crazy Energy model. A signature shoe would be an entirely new silhouette designed and marketed specifically around her.

Even with that distinction, receiving a publicly available PE remains a significant career milestone. Many player-exclusive shoes are never offered to consumers, making Adidas’ decision to release Cunningham’s colorway an indication of her increased marketability. The Cunningham PE will launch on the same day as a Crazy Energy colorway connected to Phoenix Mercury star Satou Sabally.

MORE: Sophie Cunningham sparks debate with blunt question about AI data centers

Sophie Cunningham continues growing popularity with Fever

Cunningham has become one of the WNBA’s most recognizable players since joining the Fever. The veteran guard is averaging 9.7 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists this season. She has also emerged as one of the league’s best perimeter shooters, making 43.8 percent of her 3-point attempts.

Her ability to stretch the floor has made her an important part of a Fever offense built around Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell. Cunningham’s popularity has extended far beyond her statistics.

Her playful pointing exchange with Bonner became one of the most widely shared WNBA moments of the season. The image quickly became a meme, with fans and even professional sports teams creating their own versions. Hibbett incorporated that viral moment into the marketing for Cunningham’s appearance, demonstrating why she has become an increasingly valuable partner for major brands.

Cunningham has also built a substantial social media following and expanded her off-court profile through her “Show Me Something” podcast. The Adidas release brings those different parts of her appeal together. The shoe connects Cunningham’s performance, style and personality in a product fans can purchase.

Cunningham did not have to wait until All-Star weekend to land one of the biggest individual honors of her season. She now has a sneaker carrying her name and a launch event built entirely around her.