Maybe it was the thrill of the hunt. Maybe it was the allure of the sparkling pink and aqua color combo (which I've learned is called a shoe's "colorway"). Or maybe it was my looming empty nest making me feel reckless.
Whatever the reason, I succumbed to the hype – and did whatever the digital version of elbowing people out of my way at a Target Black Friday sale is – to obtain the holy grail: the basketball shoe designed by WNBA superstar Sophie Cunningham that was being released by Adidas. It was her first shoe deal, which is apparently a very big deal for professional basketball players.
The timing sure seemed right. Sophie's name was on everyone's lips because they either loved her or they hated her for her insistence on being her true, authentic self. And her authentic self had just unapologetically spoken out in favor of protecting girls and women's sports from the intrusion of mentally unwell biological males (she phrased it in a nicer way).
So, naturally, it caught my attention when Adidas announced the Sophie shoe would be released on Friday, July 24. Adidas sure wasn't shying away from her "controversial" take and was clearly taking advantage of her name being in the news. Whether or not they rushed the shoe to market to take advantage of the news cycle is unclear, but people in the know were predicting a pretty quick sell out. Moms who loved Sophie would be getting a pair for themselves and a pair for their daughters, so you were going to have to act fast.
Now, I like a challenge. I bought and sold on eBay many, many moons ago when my kids were little, so I know how to "snipe." Shopping is a sport, after all.
ChatGPT advised me to buy from the Hibbett website – a company I had never heard of – and bypass the Adidas site because it could crash from the demand. I logged in a few minutes before 10 AM ET, made sure my shipping and payment info was good, and waited for the sale to go live.
I've never moved so fast in my life. I had the women's size 8.5 in my cart within seconds and breezed through checkout without any issues. They were mine. The thrill of victory, you all.
Sophie Cunningham released her first-ever player-exclusive sneaker this morning and the shoe sold out within hours 👀
— Nice Kicks (@nicekicks) July 24, 2026
The Indiana Fever star debuted her “Unicorn” adidas Crazy Energy PE earlier this week before selling out the $120 shoe during WNBA All-Star Weekend. pic.twitter.com/SxMqR9kgxl
They arrived on Wednesday and have been sitting on the kitchen counter staring at me ever since.
So, here's where I make my guilty confession: I don't like basketball at all, and I don't like women's basketball even more. And I certainly have no need for a basketball shoe (but, boy, are they even cuter in person!).
I've been thinking the past few days about why I bought them and what I'm going to do with them.
I definitely bought them more to support Sophie than to get a cute pair of shoes.
Without realizing it, though, I think I bought them to say thank you for her willingness to speak up for my three daughters. She didn't have to speak out and risk her cushy brand deals, but she did without even thinking twice about it. Doing the right thing simply because it's right deserves our recognition.
Now, what to do with them. I'll admit, the Irish in me wants to wear them all around deep-blue Northern Virginia and dare anyone to say anything. There's also a part of me that thinks I should sell them – they're going for $300 to $400 on the resale market – and donate the proceeds to an organization, like Alliance Defending Freedom, that fights for girls-only spaces and sports.
I'm still not sure what I'll do – I kind of like the idea that I could get a knowing nod of approval from someone in my crazy liberal town as I wear them out and about. It could happen, and I'd like to find out.
Did I mention they're really cute?
