NEWYou can now listen to PK Press Club articles!
The Indiana Sophie Cunningham fever of the Indiana Sophie tackled the allegations that she had sex with Phoenix Suns and the CEO of Phoenix Mercury, Josh Bartelstein.
The allegation was mentioned in a trial brought by the former Suns employee, Gene Traylor, who continues Suns Legacy Partners, LLC, for discrimination, harassment and alleged reprisals.
The trial said that Traylor told Bartelstein that another employee spread gossip on the married executive with a connection with Cunningham.
CLICK HERE for more sports cover on Foxnews.com
The Indiana Sophie Cunningham fever custody reacts during the third quarter against the Brazil national team in Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa, on May 4, 2025. (Images Jeffrey Becker / Imagn)
The former Mercury player published a statement on Wednesday.
“I am deeply saddened by the recent false accusations made against me by Gene Traylor, someone I do not know and that I have never met. Allow me to be clear, his statements are false and extremely hurtful,” she said.
“I am here to compete, play basketball at the highest level and win for my team and my fans, while inspiring other women as they can do or be everything they dream of becoming. I stand for the greatest integrity and my values guide me on and off the field.
“For the media that reported that, I have always said the truth and I was transparent with (a) a press survey. In this case, it is irresponsible that I was never asked for a comment on the accusation before several stories of clicks were printed.
Phoenix Mercury and the CEO of Phoenix Suns, Josh Bartelstein, during the first half of a match between the Phoenix Mercury and the Seattle Storm at FootPrint Center in Phoenix, Arizona, May 17, 2025 (Joe Camporeale / Imagn Images)
Fans react to Caitlin Clark not taking a potential game
“I will not let the gossip for false traits to remove my goal from what is most important for me who is basketball, my support team and my fans.”
The Suns denied this case in a press release from the Vice-President Director of Communications Stacey Mitch, calling it “entirely false and morally reprehensible”.
The team blamed Traylor’s lawyer, Sharee, Wright for having include “lies and salacious manufacturing in their complaints”.
Sophie Cunningham speaks to the media members of the player 15 hq in Phoenix on September 26, 2024. (Diannie Chavez / The Republic / USA Today Network via Imagn Images)
Wright called the Sun Declaration “not only defamatory” but an “act of retaliation open against protected legal advocacy”.
