Gambling Play Explodes – WNBA Star Pushes Back

Two women playing basketball; Michelle Jenneke is not visible — Photo: Alex Kravtsov / Shutterstock

Sophie Cunningham said the quiet part out loud: the ad sells gambling to men, not women’s sports, and people lost their minds anyway.

Story Snapshot

Sydney Sweeney’s near-nude Novig ad sparked sharp backlash from female athletes over sexualization.
WNBA guard Sophie Cunningham called the spot “inauthentic,” yet defended Sweeney from outrage.
Cunningham argued the ad aimed at male bettors, not women’s sports, and asked, “Why are girls mad?”.
Sweeney’s social following dipped during the firestorm, showing real reputational stakes.

What The Ad Showed And Why It Touched A Nerve

Novig featured Sydney Sweeney with minimal clothing, using sports gear to cover her body. Major outlets described the imagery as nude or near-nude and overtly sexual. Female athletes said the campaign objectified women and undercut progress in women’s sports. The critique focused on sexualization, not claims of deception about the product itself. No regulator flagged violations in the reporting cited. The dispute was about taste, values, and who gets to define sports culture, not about fraud.

The backlash traveled fast because it fit an old advertising playbook. Sex sells attention, especially to young men who gamble on sports. Researchers have long found sports wagering ads use sexualized imagery and gender stereotypes to grab eyeballs. That strategy draws earned media and outrage, which can amplify a brand far beyond a paid media plan. The Sweeney ad followed that script, which is why it dominated feeds and sparked strong responses from athletes and media.

Sophie Cunningham’s Take: Call It Out, But Keep Your Cool

Sophie Cunningham, a guard in the Women’s National Basketball Association, said the campaign felt “inauthentic” and “morally” strange to her. She still defended Sweeney as a performer doing what she is known for. Cunningham said the ad was a gambling ad aimed at men, not a statement about women’s sports. Her line was blunt: “Men. Sports. Naked women.” She asked, “Why are girls mad?” and closed with, “To each her own. Go do your thing, sis”.

That framing matters because it separates two issues. First, the creative choice: sexualized imagery to reach male bettors. Second, the target of anger: an actress playing a role versus a system that rewards controversy. Cunningham accepted the first as obvious marketing and pushed the second toward perspective. She did not endorse the tone, yet she rejected the idea that Sweeney betrayed women’s sports by appearing in the ad.

The Scale Of The Firestorm And What It Proved

Coverage spanned The New York Times, The Associated Press, CNN, USA Today, and Deadline. That breadth confirmed a mainstream dispute, not a niche flare-up. Social metrics showed impact beyond talk. USA Today reported Sweeney lost hundreds of thousands of Instagram followers across a few days during the peak controversy, a rare sign that viral anger bled into her public standing. Outrage delivers attention, but it also carries costs for the face of a campaign.

WNBA star Sophie Cunningham has a mixed take on Sydney Sweeney’s controversial NOVIG ad.

She called the sports connection “inauthentic” and said she doesn’t particularly like the ad, but questioned why so much anger is being directed at Sweeney herself: “Why are girls mad?”

Her… pic.twitter.com/05pueGrMz5

— Bhavesh Gujrati (@Bhaveshlivelife) September 21, 2026

Brand strategists likely expected noise. That is the bargain with these ads. You trade backlash for reach. Cunningham’s take aligns with common sense: do not pretend a gambling spot wrapped in sex appeal is a tribute to women’s sports. It is a money play chasing male bettors. Conservatives will recognize the free-speech and free-market angle here. Adults can make and view edgy ads. Audiences can push back without calling for bans. Consequences should live in the marketplace, not in gag orders.

How To Judge Authenticity Without Losing The Plot

Authenticity questions dog celebrity ads. Cunningham asked whether Sweeney even bets on sports. That is a fair doubt, but the reporting did not offer proof either way. What we do know: the aesthetic was sexualized by design, the target skewed male, and the message sold gambling, not athletic excellence. If critics want lasting change, the sharper target is the incentive structure that prizes provocation over sport. That is bigger than one actress or one brand.