“Plaintiff also shared with Bartelstein that Craig had been spreading damaging information that could jeopardize the organization,” the lawsuit states.
Denials and Corporate Pushback
The Suns swiftly denied the allegations in a strongly worded statement. Stacey Mitch, senior vice president of communications, dismissed the affair claims as false and harmful:
“The recent reports concerning Josh Bartelstein and Sophie Cunningham are entirely false and morally reprehensible,” Mitch said in a statement to The New York Post.
The organization also claimed that the lawsuit is part of a larger campaign led by attorney Sheree Wright, who is currently on probation with the Arizona State Bar for professional misconduct.
According to the team, Wright has filed four separate lawsuits in recent months against Suns Legacy Partners, LLC, seeking over $140 million in total.
“Let’s be absolutely clear about the origin of these claims,” said Mitch.
“Ms. Wright has now filed four separate lawsuits against the organization. To date, her cases have been dismissed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Arizona Civil Rights Division or voluntarily withdrawn.”
The People Involved
Sophie Cunningham, 28, played with the Phoenix Mercury from 2019 to 2024 and was a fan favorite.
