The Indiana Fever are struggling to keep their race to the playoffs smooth, as multiple injuries have taken center stage. And Sophie Cunningham’s injury has the potential to be the final nail in the Indiana Fever’s coffin. She grimaced in pain as Bria Hartley clattered into her knee in the second quarter. Cunningham clutched at the knee and made her way toward the baseline out-of-bounds area, then fell to the court. She hobbled off with help from the medical staff and was almost immediately ruled out of the game, leaving fans in a state of worry.
Everyone held their breath for a positive update on her injury after the game, but coach White had none. “Especially the way that she fell and how she was holding herself and how much pain she was in, at the time it’s like, ‘crap,’” said White after the game. The only update the EssentiallySports Newsdesk received was that Cunningham was scheduled to take an MRI on Monday. While there’s no definitive update regarding that MRI yet, there is a subtle sign that the future results might be positive as the veteran drops a glimpse of hope.
Cunningham reposted a TikTok of one of her best highlights from this season, which included her three-pointer from the Mystics game as Caitlin Clark cheered from the sidelines. To a neutral eye, it seems like nothing, but the fans are grasping for straws, and so are we. It might be a sign that she wants to get back to scoring those trademark outside shots to fuel the Fever’s playoff run.
Adding on that, ESPN has her listed as day-to-day and not completely ruled out for the upcoming matchup against the Minnesota Lynx. Along with that, Cunningham was also seen smiling and chatting with teammates when Stephanie White was giving her locker room talk. While the fans look for the positives, experts in the subject are giving the hard facts.
Aug 17, 2025; Uncasville, Connecticut, USA; Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham (8) on the court injured as they take on the Connecticut Sun in the first half at Mohegan Sun Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images
Sports doctor Brian Sutterer took to his YouTube channel to offer his early thoughts, breaking down three possible scenarios based on video footage of the play. He addressed the worst-case scenario right away. “Now, the primary things that are going to be on my differential here: of course, this can cause something like an ACL tear,” Dr. Sutterer said. ACL tears are too common in the WNBA nowadays, with almost every team having at least one player suffering an ACL injury. It would be the worst outcome for Cunningham, ruling her out for the rest of the season and potentially parts of next season. However, the doctor proposed another milder possibility.
Dr. Sutterer added, “Another thing to consider is, of course, if the knee buckles inward, you’re going to have stretch on the inside portion of the joint. The MCL ligament sits on the inside of the joint, and so that can certainly cause some stretch in the MCL when the knee is pushed inward.” He explained. An MCL injury will still mean she is out for this season, but she could recover within 4 months at the most. In any case, even if Cunningham’s MRI comes back with an unfavourable result, there are signs that she is in good spirits regardless. While Cunningham recovers from her injury, the Indiana Fever has made a shocking roster move that signals Caitlin Clark’s return to the fans.
Fever Waives Kyra Lambert After Short Stay, Hinting More Roster Changes
The Fever signed guard Kyra Lambert to a seven-day contract after losing Sydney Colson and Aari McDonald. They qualified for the roster spot as Clark was still out with her groin injury, and they desperately needed some guard depth. Lambert was signed days after Odyssey Sims, who has shone in her three games in a Fever shirt. However, after she had less than a minute of action for the Fever, the franchise decided to let her go.
It looks like a confusing decision from the outset. Her signing was just as questionable as Lambert as she has yet to play in the WNBA. After her successful college years at Duke and the University of Texas, she went on to play overseas, and most recently with Olympiacos, where she won the Greek A1 League. There were a lot better options available with some experience in the W, like Bree Hall, Zia Cooke, and more. But waiving her after just 4 days into her 7-day contract comes off weird.
It’s not if Clark is nearing a return, which the fans started theorizing the minute this news was announced. But she has not even started full practice yet, and Stephanie White did not have any encouraging words regarding Clark’s rehab. “That’s the hope,” White said. “The hope is that she’s back.” Clark was not present at their latest game against the Sun, being away for personal reasons. The only possible reason could be that the Fever has found a different and more experienced backup guard more suitable for their playstyle.
However, the fans continue to dream of an early Clark comeback on the outside chance, and they don’t play again until Friday, August 22, which is still a long time away. So we might not get an immediate update until we approach that game. In any case, White desperately needs some good news, be it about Cunningham’s MRI or Clark’s fitness, as they face league-leading Minnesota Lynx thrice in this final stretch.
The post Sophie Cunningham Drops Positive Hint Before Much-Awaited MRI Update On Her Knee Injury appeared first on EssentiallySports.
