It all started with a right ankle sprain Sophie Cunningham suffered in Indiana’s final preseason game against the Atlanta Dream on May 10. She sat out of the first game, but was a ‘live-wire’ on the sidelines. Since everything seemed fine with her moving effortlessly, fans began to expect an early return. On Monday, the former Mercury star was even seen practising in the open portion of practice with the team. But there is no concrete statement made by the Fever franchise over Sophie’s availability for the game against the Atlanta Dream on May 20.
The situation seems a bit better than the opening game, though. Sophie was spotted practising alone on that day. She hilariously declared herself fit to play. Just before the Fever’s game against the Sky, Stephanie White was giving an injury update for Sophie Cunningham during a media availability session. The star crashed into the interview and said, “I am ready to play”. As she went back to shooting practice, she mumbled, “I am going crazy…” Not to mention, it was a typical Cunningham response.
“She continues to be day-to-day,” White updated. “Every 24 hours, she continues to make great progress. It’s a long season, so we want to make sure we’re making the best long-term decisions when it comes to her health and wellness and her ability to produce for our team.” The season has just begun, and HC White chose to protect her players from wear and tear at the start of the season. And her recent practice session with the team is a positive sign.
Over the years, Sophie Cunningham suffered a few setbacks and came back strong every time. During her time at the University of Missouri, her college career was marred by significant injuries that tested her resilience. In December 2015, she suffered a right knee sprain during a game against Alabama. But the star was back on the court shortly after helping her side have a productive season.
Sophie Cunningham (ankle) practices Monday.
— Underdog WNBA (@UnderdogWNBA) May 19, 2025
A couple of seasons later, the guard-forward battled a debilitating back injury that caused her immense discomfort. “There were nights that I slept an hour,” Cunningham said at the time. “I couldn’t lay down, I couldn’t stand up, and I could barely walk, honestly.” Yet playing through the pain, Sophie averaged 17.5 points and 5.3 rebounds with 3.4 assists and 0.9 steals, earning All-Southeastern Conference first-team selection.
Though the player had a strong start to her WNBA career, importantly without any major injury concerns, in the 2024 season, she revealed that she had been playing through a shoulder injury, specifically a “dead” collarbone. This was her final season with the Mercury franchise. During that season only, fiercest Cunningham suffered a jaw injury during a game against the Wings in August. She was away from the game for several games but made a strong comeback, returning to the lineup against the Las Vegas Aces.
Addressing her injury and decision to play through it, Sophie was only focused on her team’s requirement. “I knew my scoring was probably going to go down, but that means there are so many more opportunities for me to be better at rebounding, steals, defense, assists,” Cunningham said. “For me, it was focusing on what the team needs.” The Indiana Fever team is also hoping to have her multifaceted ability on the court as early as possible.
Sophie Cunningham is the Indiana Fever’s most valuable addition in their rebuilt mode
The Indiana Fever added multiple championship experience players and veterans to give the Cailtin Clark-led trio a shot at the WNBA championship. While three out of five additions are over 30 years old, this could affect their performance in the second phase. The Missouri alumina is tough in defense and efficient in scoring.
She could clock in important minutes on the court, giving key players rest for clutch moments. She herself is a clutch player who could impact games in various ways. With the highest average of 12.6 points and 4.4 rebounds per game in 2022, Cunningham shot 44.9% from the field and 40% from the 3-point line.
HC Stephanie White was excited by Cunningham’s addition to the team and pointed out some points that don’t show up in stat lines. After the team’s first preseason win, white singled out the team’s top scorer, Cunningham. “Oh my god, Sophie’s a dog,” White said in the post-game press conference. “She’s a competitor. She’s versatile, so she allows us to do different things. She plays with such a toughness. She’s huge, and she’s going to be for us all season long,”
And there is more. “What she brings from an energy standpoint, she raises the level of play of everyone around as soon as she steps foot on the floor.” HC White added, “Hell, even on the sideline. Her communication, everything. She’s definitely an X factor.”
Every team will love to have a player of Sophie’s caliber on the court for 40 minutes. Fever fans will also be hoping to see Cunningham playing as early as possible.
The post Indiana Fever Injury Report: Sophie Cunningham’s Availability Still Under Question Despite Latest Development appeared first on EssentiallySports.
