Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham expressed disbelief after finding out that NBA star Terry Rozier will still collect his full salary for the 2025–26 season, despite being implicated in a gambling scandal that has rocked the NBA world.
The league felt the heat last week after Miami Heat guard Rozier found himself at the center of one of the NBA’s most shocking scandals in recent years.
Federal agents arrested the Heat player in Orlando, Florida, after uncovering his alleged involvement in an illegal insider sports betting operation that also implicated Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups and former Cleveland Cavaliers assistant coach Damon Jones.
According to reports citing federal investigators, Rozier conspired with acquaintances to manipulate game outcomes for financial gain.
In one instance from March 23, 2023, while with the Charlotte Hornets, he reportedly told a friend that he would fake an injury early in the game.
Terry Rozier then played just over nine minutes before exiting the game, allowing bettors, who had wagered the under on his performance, to profit massively.
However, despite these serious allegations, the NBA star will still collect his full $26.6 million salary for the full season while on administrative leave. His total contract with the Miami Heat stands at $96.2 million.
Sophie Cunningham reacts to Rozier’s pay
This latest revelation quickly drew a surprised reaction from Fever guard Sophie Cunningham, who expressed her disbelief on social media.
“No way. Please tell me this is fake,” she wrote on X while quoting a tweet confirming Rozier’s continued pay despite his arrest.
Under Exhibit F-7 of the NBA’s current CBA, players placed on administrative leave remain eligible for their full pay and benefits until a league ruling determines otherwise.
As such, Cunningham’s post quickly went viral, personifying the discontent felt by many WNBA players, who continue to fight for better compensation and working conditions amid ongoing negotiations for a new CBA.
The WNBA faces an October 31 deadline to reach an agreement with the players’ association.
