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Sophie Cunningham defends Sydney Sweeney — but admits she 'morally' has a problem

Sophie Cunningham is comfortable saying she doesn't know Sydney Sweeney, but she does understand her.

Sweeney has faced backlash for a recent "gambling" ad, enduring seemingly unending criticism from female athletes across the globe, but Cunningham has one simple question: "Why are girls mad?"

'It's just so unauthentic.'

Cunningham said her phone blew up with people looking for her take on Sweeney's recent ad for Novig that had the actress posing nude, save for conveniently placed sports equipment covering her private areas.

The ad was immediately characterized as a black eye for women in sports by female athletes who said it was not how they want to be portrayed. Although many athletes were put on blast as hypocrites after being reminded of their own questionable (and self-promoted) content, Cunningham seemingly saw both sides of the matter.

On "No Hesitation with Sophie Cunningham & Drew Hanlen" earlier this week, the WNBA star started with the hilarious question: Does Sweeney "even gamble on sports?"

"It's just so unauthentic," Cunningham continued. "You know what I mean? Like, am I surprised of how she represented the brand? No."

The basketball player then started a back-and-forth of insult followed by praise.

"That's what she's made her whole career off is. And hey, don't get me wrong, I like her. Everyone knows she is beautiful. She is hot. She clearly has my chest," Cunningham joked.

Then the 30-year-old offered Sweeney "props" but admitted she did not like the ad.

"I think it's like, I mean, like, what? Like, what are we doing? But again, I'm not surprised."

Cunningham wasn't done though, and she put the complaining athletes into her crosshairs, asking them what it is they are getting so upset about:

"But why are girls mad?"

"That is literally what she does," Cunningham went on. "Why is anyone mad?"

Then things went back the other way for a moment, with the baller saying, "Again, do I agree with it? Uh, morally, I think it's kind of weird, but, like, to each their own. Go do your thing, sis."

But then Cunningham pushed back in the other direction again and praised women for standing up for themselves and being proud of their tall bodies, "broad shoulders," and thighs that touch.

While the athlete explained that she certainly understands how Sweeney's ad could "deflate women" and overshadow their accomplishments, she finally settled on her previously discussed idea that even despite her moral disagreements with it, "Let that girl go do her thing."

Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images

Co-host Hanlen took on more of a believe-all-women mentality, approaching the topic as being not "black and white," and thus impossible to truly take sides.

"They knew that they were going to spike up a lot of traffic from women being disappointed with the ad and putting her down," Hanlen said about Novig.

Hanlen's feminist approach concluded with him saying that criticisms should be replaced by "celebrating women in sport" and giving confidence to "student athletes that don't feel like they fit in."

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