Sophie Cunningham reacts for the first time on accusation of an affair with Suns CEO Josh Bartelstein 

Last week, Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham was named in a lawsuit filed by Phoenix Suns director of security Gene Traylor. The lawsuit alleges racial discrimination and negligence on the franchise's part when handling security concerns.

Traylor, who has been with the team since 2013, alleges that VP of security and risk management Cornelius Craig told people that Phoenix Suns and Mercury CEO Josh Bartelstein was having an affair with Sophie Cunningham, who at the time was playing for the Mercury.

Cunningham denied the allegations in a statement on X.

"I am deeply saddened by the recent false accusations made against me by Gene Traylor, someone I do not know and have never met. Let me be clear his statements are untrue and extremely hurtful.

“I will not let untrue gossip take my focus away from what is most important to me which is basketball, my supportive team and my fans."

After an electrifying debut for the Fever in the preseason, Sophie Cunningham was sidelined for the regular-season opener against the Chicago Sky, as well as the clash with the Atlanta Dream on Tuesday.

While she's reportedly been making progress in her recovery, the team is erring on the side of caution as it looks to make a run at a WNBA championship.

Phoenix Suns, Mercury, condemn lawsuit that referenced Sophie Cunningham and CEO Josh Bartelstein having an affair

Before Sophie Cunningham denied the allegations that she and Josh Bartelstein had an affair, the franchise released a statement condemning the lawsuit. They also called out Sheree Wright, one of the two attorneys representing Traylor, the man filing the suit.

The franchise pointed to Wright's record and the violations for which she's reportedly been disciplined for over the years.

In a statement released via ESPN, a Suns spokesperson was quoted as saying:

"The Supreme Court of Arizona has twice disciplined attorney Sheree Wright for committing numerous violations of the rules of professional conduct, and she is currently serving a two-year probation with the State Bar of Arizona. ...

"This time, Ms. Wright and her client have made absurd accusations of misconduct surrounding the security department of the Phoenix Suns. These allegations are delusional and categorically false."

This is the fourth time in the past seven months that a current or former employee of the Suns has filed a lawsuit against the franchise, which was sold in 2022 after former owner Robert Sarver was found to have used a derogatory racial term multiple times.