The Case for Fever Keeping Sophie Cunningham
Sophie Cunningham made a lot of noise during her second season as a member of the Indiana Fever and with more eyes than ever on the WNBA, particularly the Fever, the reactions have been palpable.
From the infamous finger pointing meme that went viral, to several new fast-selling endorsements, to even being thrust into the political landscape, Cunningham herself has been seen virtually everywhere.
Entering the offseason, the Fever will have a choice to make regarding her future after she signed only a one-year deal to stay through the 2026 season. Whether basketball fans agree or disagree with her viewpoints and choices off the court, her direct impact on the court shouldn't be overlooked after she quickly established herself as the key piece in the Fever's second unit.
After all, as a professional basketball player, she should be evaluated on her basketball value, not outside differences and opinions.
It would appear that Fever GM Amber Cox feels much the same way. During the team's exit interviews on Saturday, Cox made it clear that Cunningham's off-court comments would have no bearing on their decision to re-sign her during free agency. Rather, Cox alluded to Cunningham's productive two seasons with the Fever fueling future conversations in an effort to keep her.
Re-signing Sophie Cunningham Brings More Pros Than Cons
Regardless of the headlines and extracurricular activities that swirl around Cunningham, her on-court production can provide more value to the franchise. In her second year in Indiana, she had several positive moments as the team's most valuable role player. Cunningham shot a career-best 46% from the field and was near the top of the league in three-point percentage for the bulk of the season, which provided the Fever with a much-needed sharpshooter off the bench. Sure, there's room for improvement on the defensive side of things for Cunningham, but she shouldn't receive the brunt of the blame after the Fever had several inconsistencies as a unit in this department.
More importantly, she proved to be the Fever's "do-it-all" player fitting into virtually any role necessary as a solid adaptable piece. She also provides them with much-needed toughness that prior to her arrival, the team lacked, as some may recall during Caitlin Clark's rookie season. Indiana desperately needed that enforcer-type presence to compete alongside their franchise player. Along with this, Clark and Cunningham have put their dynamic on-court chemistry on full display over the course of the last two seasons. Cunningham has also proven she can deal with the scrutiny that comes with being a member of the Fever.
She is also one of the most popular players in the WNBA, which for the Fever, may still not mean paying a high price to keep her. After signing her one-year deal, Cunningham made it clear that her frustrations weren't because of money but rather stemmed from not getting locked in on a long-term deal.
Cunningham has benefitted from the attention that comes with being a member of the Fever, including when it comes to endorsements. But for the team, she brings a known commodity willing to play a role, one they might be able to lock up at a price that helps them manage the rest of the roster under the salary cap.
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Lindsay Burke covers women’s basketball for Indiana Fever On SI and Women’s Fastbreak On SI. She graduated from Purdue University Fort Wayne with a Bachelor's Degree in journalism and a minor in media production. Early in her career she covered ECHL hockey, the NFL and college football and has since expanded her expertise to the WNBA and the Fever franchise.
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