Re-Sign or Let Walk: Indiana Has Decision to Make on Sophie Cunningham
Caitlin Clark is undoubtedly the most popular player on the Indiana Fever. Second place would have to go to Sophie Cunningham. Since arriving in Indiana two seasons ago, Cunningham's popularity has skyrocketed both on and off the court.
Being touted as Clark's "bodyguard" by many on social media after her spat with then-Connecticut Sun guard Jacy Sheldon, Cunningham became a fan-favorite after that moment. It's evident in her social media following, as she was the most-followed NBA or WNBA player over the last six months, beating out New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson, who won the Finals in that timeframe.
Now comes the basketball business side of things, as Cunningham is set to be a free agent this winter. Free agency begins on January 30, so there's about two and a half months until the frenzy begins. Cunningham, 30, signed a one year deal last offseason worth $665k coming off of an MCL tear suffered in 2025.
Former general manager Amber Cox, who traded for Cunningham, was recently fired. That complicates things as Indiana is searching for someone new that has no allegiance to Cunningham. On the flip side, she was the Fever's leading scorer off the bench last season averaging 7.9 points per game.
The offseson should be interesting regarding Cunningham and the Fever.
Sophie Cunningham's free agency leaves Fever at a crossroads
The case for re-signing Cunningham is that she's already familiar with the Fever's core and performed well when her number was called. Cunningham was shooting lights out from beyond the arc in the middle of the 2026 season, averaging nearly 10 points and 44% from three in May, June and July.
She also seems to be well-liked by her teammates. Cunningham's feisty style of play is the type of spark needed off the bench.
The case for allowing Cunningham to walk is more due to her off-court ventures. The Fever are already under a microscope with the attention that Clark brings. Cunningham isn't afraid to speak her mind, as she has her own podcast and is open about her values. Sometimes, her opinions can rub people the wrong way and have brought extra scrutiny to Indiana.
It also could come down to money, as Cunningham is looking for a long term deal and one has to wonder if Indiana would offer that. Assuming Kelsey Mitchell is re-signed, there may not be much cap space remaining to give Cunningham what she desires.
This will be one situation to monitor over the coming months.
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Andrew Parsaud covers the Indiana Fever and the WNBA for On SI. With a bachelor’s degree in digital journalism and media from Penn State, he also specializes in digital content creation. Caitlin Clark and the Fever are now where his passion and expertise meet.
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