Are Sophie Cunningham and Phoenix Suns CEO Josh Bartelstein Dating?

For the longest time, Sophie Cunningham had not confirmed about any buzz around her dating life. The former Phoenix Mercury and now Indiana Fever star has been all about the glitz both on and off the court. However, questions surrounding her dating life seems to be the talk of the town in the WNBA fraternity after rumors suggest a possible affair with Josh Bartelstein.

Bartelstein is the CEO of the Phoenix Suns and is currently caught up in an explosive lawsuit, accused of having an affair with former Phoenix Mercury star, Sophie Cunningham. This comes amidst a point where the Suns organization is already embroiled in a quagmire of lawsuits, painting a harrowing picture of racial discrimination, workplace politics, and sexual scandals up galore.

The lawsuit has ignited a PR nightmare for the Suns, accusing CEO Bartelstein of having improper sexual relationship with Sophie Cunningham. The lawsuit is part of a broader claim of racial discrimination and retaliatory demotion. Read this article further to know the full crux of this story in detail.

Is Sophie Cunningham in a Relationship With Josh Bartelstein?

In simple words, No. Sophie Cunningham is officially not in a relationship with Josh Bartelstein. However, a lawsuit claiming Bartelstein to be in an improper sexual relationship with former Phoenix Mercury player Sophie Cunningham seems to be tearing the Suns organization apart at this moment. This bombshell allegation surfaced in a federal complaint filed by Gene Traylor, the Suns' former director of safety, security, and risk management. The lawsuit recounted a disturbing conversation with Suns executive Dan Craig, where in Craig's one particular statement stood out in highlight: “Josh Bartelstein is f***ing Sophie Cunningham.”

There has been no public response from either Bartelstein nor Cunningham to this accusation. However, the repercussions of the same could be quite severe. Bartelstein's alleged involvement with a player from the Suns' sister team raises many ethical concerns about conflicts of interest and power abuse. This particularly comes into highlight as both Suns and Mercury are owned by the same ownership group led by Mat Ishbia.

As of now, Sophie Cunningham continues to play in the WNBA for the Indiana Fever. She was recently traded in a four-team trade, involving the Connecticut Sun and Dallas Wings. As per Cunnnigham, she needed this change as she had gotten “too comfortable” playing six season with the Mercury. However, was the trade a greater ordeal around hushing this situation? Maybe or maybe not.