Kelsey Mitchell's 'Wild Card' Comment About Sophie Cunningham Says It All
The Indiana Fever came back from behind to secure a 79-74 victory over the Washington Mystics during their first WNBA preseason game on May 3.
Even though Caitlin Clark was not competing, this was still a fun game for Fever fans to watch because it was the first time they got to see the new members of their roster competing on the court. The player who arguably made the move waves was Sophie Cunningham, who finished the game with a team-high 21 points to go along with 8 rebounds.
She also has several spicy moments on the court, including an exchange with Mystics rookie Kiki Iriafen.
SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM. THANK YOU SO MUCHH. CAITLIN IS IN GOOD HANDS 👀 🍿 pic.twitter.com/abfi2HJ7Eo
— LeLakers 2️⃣3️⃣ 👑 (@LeLaker) May 3, 2025
Cunningham promised to be an enforcer while with the Fever, and this incident was the first proof of that. This clearly caught the attention of star guard Kelsey Mitchell, who spoke about Cunningham after Saturday's game ended.
"Sophie is that wild card. Her and Lexie [Hull] together. I think their energy, and I talk about effort defensively, and just figuring it out and having a willingness, that's Sophie Cunningham and Lexie Hull," Mitchell said, per a YouTube video from Scott Agness.
"They do an unbelievable job of just being present, being where they need to be... that kind of stuff you can't teach, and I think that's how you win games. And if we can all do that early and consistently, we have a good chance to be more like Sophie," Mitchell added with a laugh.
Kelsey Mitchell was asked about Sophie Cunningham & Lexie Hull:
— Sara Jane Gamelli (@SaraJGamelli) May 3, 2025
"Sophie is that wild card. Her and Lexie [Hull] together. I think their energy and I talk about effort defensively, and just figuring it out and having a willingness. They do an unbelievable job of just being…
Indiana adopting Cunningham's grit would certainly be a positive for them this season.
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Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the Indiana Fever and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.
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