Sophie Cunningham Sends WNBA Threat About Fever Future After Playoff Loss to Aces

Sophie Cunningham didn't mince words when assessing the Indiana Fever's future.

Jun 27, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham (8) looks on during the second half against the Dallas Wings at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Indiana Fever's rollercoaster 2025 season has now come to an end, as they were eliminated from the WNBA playoffs after losing to the Las Vegas Aces in overtime on September 30.

The fact that Indiana almost won this winner-take-all Game 5 on the road is staggering, given that Kelsey Mitchell went down with an injury in the third quarter and Aliyah Boston fouled out in the fourth. Then again, given how this team has refused to die throughout the entire year in the face of massive adversity, it should have been expected that they would go down swinging in the WNBA Semifinals.

Ultimately, the Fever made lemonade out of lemons by producing the best season this franchise has had in a decade. Once star guard Caitlin Clark announced that she would be missing the rest of the season in early September, many wondered whether Indiana would even manage to make the playoffs.

Sep 30, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) reacts from the bench after a play made by the Las Vegas Aces during the fourth quarter of game five of the second round for the 2025 WNBA Playoffs at Michelob Ultra Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

They not only did that, but upset the No. 3-seeded Atlanta Dream in the first round before taking the Aces (who are now headed to their third WNBA Finals in four seasons) to the absolute brink.

And Clark is far from the only Fever to be inactive for this postseason. There was also Sophie Cunningham, Aari McDonald, Sydney Colson, and Chloe Bibby (all of whom were previously ruled out for the season's remainder), while forward Damiris Dantas didn't play in the playoffs because of a concussion.

Sophie Cunningham's Fever Threat to the WNBA Says It All

One can only imagine how far the Fever would have gone if they'd managed to remain healthy, given the incredible coaching job by Stephanie White and the culture this team built throughout the year.

The good news is that this momentum can be transferred to the 2026 season. And Sophie Cunningham spoke to this when an X post she made after Tuesday's defeat.

Cunningham posted a photo of the Fever roster in the locker room postgame with the caption, "us. can’t make this season up! so much to be proud of. you better believe we are coming for EVERYBODY next season."

us. can’t make this season up! so much to be proud of. you better believe we are coming for EVERYBODY next season. pic.twitter.com/P2QuSdZZLV

— Sophie Cunningham (@sophaller) October 1, 2025

The Fever's roster will look different next season, if only because no team remains the same from one year to the next. Not to mention that essentially every league veteran is becoming an unrestricted free agent.

But Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston are still under contract. Clearly, Sophie Cunningham wants to stick around, and one would assume the same for core pieces Lexie Hull and Kelsey Mitchell.

In other words, Cunningham is correct in saying the rest of the league better watch out in 2026.