Drew Hanlen didn't hesitate to tell Indiana Fever basketball player Sophie Cunninghamwhat he planned to do after she asked if he could meet her for a photo shoot promoting their new podcast.
"I told her there was no way I was flying to Indiana for a picture," Hanlen said.
Cunningham's response, without hesitation?
"She busted out laughing," Hanlen said.
That's the type of unfiltered banter the former Belmont basketball player turned NBA skills coach, and Cunningham, a WNBA player and viral superstar, have in their long relationship, which began when Hanlen was starting his career while Cunningham was still in college.
It's also what is expected to make the "No Hesitation with Sophie Cunningham & Drew Hanlen" a slam-dunk hit.
"In the offseason, when
I was up in Indiana, we met at the (Indiana) Fever gym, and I worked Sophie out, and she was like, 'This is amazing, we've got to do more stuff together,'" Hanlen said. "She really wanted to start a podcast that highlighted all the good things going on in the WNBA and celebrate the players in the WNBA instead of more of the clickbait topics, which is where most of the coverage usually falls on."
That workout paid off for Cunningham, who had been struggling with her shot. She had recently gone 1-for-7 on 3-pointers in a game against Golden State. She was shooting 26.7 on 3s after the first seven games of the season.
After the workout, which included some adjustments Hanlen made to Cunningham's shot, she went 2-for-4 in another game against Golden State and has made 47.8% since then.
Hanlen and Cunningham are both Missouri natives with big personalities. He was a 3-point shooter at Belmont who helped lead the Bruins to NCAA Tournament appearances in 2011 and 2012.
"We're both shooters on the court, and off the court we're both not shy and very outspoken with no filter," Hanlen said.
Hanlen started his training company as a junior in high school. After his sophomore year at Belmont, one of his clients was NBA player David Lee, who, like Hanlen, is also from St. Louis, and would go on to be a two-time NBA All-Star.
Hanlen's NBA client list grew to include Tyrese Haliburton, Joel Embiid, Jayson Tatum, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Tyrese Maxey and others.
While Hanlen was growing his company in St. Louis, Cunningham was on her way to becoming the all-time leading scorer at Missouri (2015-19). Her sister Lindsey also played at Missouri. Hanlen met the sisters while he was working with some of Missouri's men's players.
"Sophie and I have stayed close over the years," Hanlen said. "The thing that I love about Sophie is that not only does she work really hard at her craft and loves the game of basketball, but she also has always stayed true to who she is and has never wavered from that."
While "No Hesitation with Sophie Cunningham & Drew Hanlen" is technically a podcast, Hanlen said it is intended to be watched with lots of videos. It will include guests from the WNBA, NBA, and other sports. Cunningham's teammate and WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark might even make an appearance.
"Caitlin actually works out with Rob Dozier, a guy who used to come to my basketball camps and clinics and then he interned for me," Hanlen said. "He is now Caitlin's trainer and he works for the Fever."
The podcast drops on Thursday each week and is available on all major listening platforms.
If you have an item for Midstate Chatter contact Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on X @MikeOrganWriter.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: 'No Hesitation' podcast brings unfiltered WNBA talk with Sophie Cunningham, ex-Belmont player
