If you’ve been anywhere near Phoenix sports Twitter or WNBA TikTok lately, you've probably seen the name Josh Bartelstein pop up next to Sophie Cunningham in a context that has nothing to do with basketball. It’s messy. Rumors of a Sophie Cunningham affair with Suns CEO Josh Bartelstein basically set the internet on fire mid-2025, and honestly, the fallout is still being felt as we head into the 2026 season.
People love a scandal, especially when it involves a high-profile executive and a fan-favorite "vibes queen" of the court. But where did this actually come from? It wasn’t a leaked photo or a "spotted" post on DeuxMoi. It was a line in a federal lawsuit.
The Lawsuit That Started Everything
The whole "affair" narrative didn't start with a gossip columnist. It started in a courtroom. Gene Traylor, the former Director of Security for the Phoenix Suns, filed a lawsuit that alleged a toxic workplace, racial discrimination, and a whole lot of internal dysfunction. Tucked away in those legal documents was a bombshell allegation.
Traylor claimed that another executive, Cornelius Craig, had been telling people that Bartelstein and Cunningham were having an affair. The quote in the filing was graphic. It was meant to illustrate how "erratic" and "unprofessional" the environment had become under Bartelstein’s leadership. Basically, the lawsuit used the rumor as evidence of a chaotic front office, not necessarily as a primary charge.
But the internet doesn't care about legal nuances.
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Once those documents went public, the headline was written: Sophie Cunningham affair with Suns CEO. Social media did the rest. Within hours, there were threads analyzing every time they were seen in the same building—which, ya know, is their job.
Sophie Cunningham Fires Back
Sophie didn't stay quiet. She’s never been one to shy away from a fight, whether it’s on the court or in the press. On May 21, 2025, she took to Instagram to shut it down.
“I am deeply saddened by the recent false allegations made against me by Gene Traylor, someone I do not know and have never met,” she wrote. “Let me be clear, his statements are untrue and extremely hurtful.”
She sounded genuinely pissed. And you can’t blame her. She spent six seasons with the Phoenix Mercury, building a brand as the "Shooting Sheriff," only to have her reputation tied to a legal battle she wasn't even a part of. She mentioned the "extra pressure" WNBA players feel to be role models. Getting dragged into a "homewrecker" narrative while trying to focus on a trade to the Indiana Fever? Not ideal.
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The Suns and Josh Bartelstein Respond
The Phoenix Suns organization didn’t mince words either. Stacey Mitch, the Senior VP of Communications, called the claims “entirely false and morally reprehensible.” The team’s stance was that the lawyer behind the lawsuits, Sheree Wright, was essentially trying to "extort" the team by throwing salacious lies into the public record to force a settlement.
Josh Bartelstein, who is married, has kept his head down mostly. He was the NBA’s youngest CEO when he was hired at 35. Since the rumors broke, he’s stayed focused on the business side—handling the $100 million investment into the new Mercury practice facility and navigating the front office shakeups that saw James Jones move into an advisory role.
Why the Rumor Stuck
- The Power Dynamic: People are naturally suspicious of relationships between players and the executives who sign their checks.
- Timing: The rumors gained steam right around the time Sophie was traded to the Indiana Fever in early 2025. People wondered: was she traded to "clear the air"? (The team says no, it was a basketball move).
- Social Media Echo Chambers: In 2026, a lie can travel around the world before the truth even gets its shoes on.
Where Things Stand in 2026
It’s been months since the initial filing, and there has been zero corroborating evidence. No photos. No texts. No "sources close to the couple." Just a secondhand quote in a disgruntled employee’s lawsuit.
Sophie is now fully integrated with the Indiana Fever, playing alongside Caitlin Clark and chasing a championship. She’s even started her own podcast, Show Me Something, where she talks about the WNBA’s "dumb" CBA negotiations and the potential for a lockout. She seems way more concerned with revenue sharing than Phoenix drama these days.
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Josh Bartelstein is still the CEO in Phoenix. Mat Ishbia has stood by him, and the team is moving forward with their 2026 plans, including hosting the NBA All-Star Game.
Actionable Insights for Fans
- Check the Source: If the only "proof" of a celebrity affair is a legal document quoting someone else’s gossip, take it with a massive grain of salt.
- Focus on the Court: Sophie’s career is at an all-time high in terms of marketability. Her "cuddle and dinner" banter with Caitlin Clark on TikTok is what fans should actually be watching.
- Ignore the Clickbait: Many sites still use the Sophie Cunningham affair with Suns CEO headline to farm clicks, even though it’s been debunked by all parties involved.
The lesson here is simple. Workplace lawsuits are messy, and sometimes innocent people get caught in the crossfire of a legal strategy designed to create headlines. Sophie Cunningham has moved on to a new city and a new chapter. It’s probably time the rest of the internet did, too.
To stay updated on the legal side of things, you can follow the official court filings in the District of Arizona, though most of these workplace cases end in confidential settlements rather than public trials.