WNBA player Sophie Cunningham has been accused of engaging in an extramarital affair with Phoenix Suns and Mercury CEO Josh Bartelstein, according to a newly filed lawsuit that also alleges racial discrimination and security misconduct within the NBA and WNBA franchises.
The accusation surfaced in a complaint filed in May by Gene Traylor, director of safety, security, and risk management for the Phoenix Suns. Traylor alleges he informed Bartelstein that another executive, Cornelius Craig, was spreading a damaging rumor. "Plaintiff explained that Craig had been telling others, 'Josh Bartelstein is f-king Sophie Cunningham,'" the lawsuit states, according to Awful Announcing.
Cunningham, 28, played for the Phoenix Mercury from 2019 until she was traded to the Indiana Fever in February 2025. She had signed a contract extension with Phoenix through the 2025 season just five months prior to the trade. She did not appear in the Fever's season opener due to an ankle injury, though the off-court controversy has drawn significantly more attention than her playing status.
Neither Cunningham nor Bartelstein has publicly addressed the affair allegation. Bartelstein, 35, married his wife Sydney in 2022. In a November interview with Phoenix Magazine, he said, "This job is incredibly demanding. It's the best job ever, but it's long hours, high-stress and -pressure, and public-facing. And I travel a lot. Me and Sydney have done it together, and she's a huge reason why I love what I get to do."
Bartelstein, a former University of Michigan basketball player, became CEO of both the Suns and Mercury in April 2023 after eight years with the Detroit Pistons. Owner Mat Ishbia endorsed the appointment at the time, stating: "Josh understands our culture and values and shares our strategic vision for the Suns and Mercury."
In response to the lawsuit, the Suns issued a firm denial and sought to discredit the credibility of Traylor's attorney. "The Supreme Court of Arizona has twice disciplined attorney Sheree Wright for committing numerous violations of the rules of professional conduct, and she is currently serving a two-year probation with the State Bar of Arizona," a Suns spokesperson said in a statement to ESPN. "These allegations are delusional and categorically false."
The lawsuit also alleges broader issues of racial discrimination and misconduct within the Suns and Mercury organizations, though it is the claim involving Cunningham that has garnered the most attention.
Cunningham, who had expressed strong ties to Phoenix during her tenure there, said at the time of her contract extension: "Phoenix has become my home away from home, and I am so thrilled to be in the Valley and continue to get to play in front of the best fans in the W - the X-Factor. The investments (owner) Mat (Ishbia) is making in our organization are unmatched and I couldn't be more excited to be a part of what we are building here, on the court and in the community."
