Fever Found Sweet Way to Honor Sophie Cunningham After Her Knee Surgery

Kristen Wong | Aug 24, 2025

Fever guard Sophie Cunningham underwent surgery last week for her season-ending knee injury that she suffered on Aug. 17 against the Sun. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Sophie Cunningham's first season with the Fever ended abruptly and painfully earlier this month when the veteran guard suffered a MCL tear in her right knee. Since then, however, Cunningham has had plenty of reasons to smile, including one sweet tribute from Indiana ahead of the team's matchup against the Lynx on Sunday afternoon.

Cunningham underwent surgery last Friday, sharing a happy selfie of herself on a hospital bed ahead of the operation. A few days later, the Fever made sure Cunningham was with the team in spirit during practice before Sunday's game. The players all participated in a routine halfcourt shot contest, and Fever assistant coach Karima Christmas-Kelly filled in on Cunningham's behalf.

She ended up sinking her halfcourt shot, eliciting overjoyed and elated reactions from the rest of the Fever.

"Shoutout Sophie!" Caitlin Clark said as she celebrated with Christmas-Kelly.

"Shoutout Sophie!" 😂

assistant coach Karima Christmas-Kelly won today's halfcourt shot contest on behalf of Sophie Cunningham 👏 pic.twitter.com/o7Z6vvZojJ

— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) August 24, 2025

You can't draw it up any better than that.

With Clark, Cunningham and a handful of players still injured, the down-on-luck Fever (19-17) will look to get back to winning ways after dropping five of their last seven games. Tip-off against the Lynx is 7 p.m. ET at Target Center.

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