Sophie Cunningham’s Impact: How Her Grit, Shooting, and Veteran Edge Have Helped the Fever Go 5-2 With Her as Starter
The Fever Are 5-2 When Sophie Cunningham Is in the Starting Lineup
Sometimes, numbers lie. But in Sophie Cunningham’s case, they don’t. The Indiana Fever are 5-2 when she starts — and that isn’t just a coincidence, a matchup anomaly, or a statistical quirk. It’s evidence of something deeper: a player whose game doesn’t scream for headlines but quietly changes outcomes. In a season defined by rookie spotlight, surging chemistry, and high expectations, Cunningham has emerged as one of the most valuable pieces of the puzzle — not because she fills a stat sheet, but because she fills gaps.
When the season began, Cunningham’s role in Indiana was unclear. She arrived as a gritty veteran with a reputation for physical play, outside shooting, and toughness — attributes that every team values, but not every team fully utilizes. The Fever had a young, dynamic core in Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston, and Kelsey Mitchell. They had energy, firepower, and attention. What they lacked early on, however, was balance — someone to do the dirty work, space the floor without demanding touches, and bring an edge that can’t be taught.
Cunningham became that someone.
Her first start came almost by necessity — an injury shuffle, a matchup adjustment. But it didn’t take long for the difference to show. Suddenly, the Fever were more physical on the perimeter. They were communicating more. The ball moved cleaner, the spacing improved, and the defensive intensity picked up. Cunningham didn’t dominate, but she did influence. She helped stabilize. She made everything else make more sense.
In the seven games she’s started, the Fever have looked like a more complete team. Not just because of the win-loss column, but because of the flow. Offensively, her ability to stretch the floor forces defenders to stay honest. She doesn’t need the ball to be effective, which is crucial when sharing the court with high-usage stars like Clark and Mitchell.
Cunningham is shooting the three at a consistent clip and isn’t afraid to let it fly in transition or off a skip pass. Defenders can’t sag off her, and that opens driving lanes for Clark, post touches for Boston, and backcuts for Mitchell. Her movement without the ball adds a layer of complexity to Indiana’s offense that wasn’t always there in earlier lineups.
But Cunningham’s value goes well beyond the offensive end. On defense, she’s a tone-setter. She guards multiple positions, fights through screens, and never stops talking. She picks up full court when needed, rotates smartly, and doesn’t shy away from contact. And in a league where effort and positioning often decide possessions, Cunningham thrives.
One possession in particular — against the Phoenix Mercury — captured the essence of her impact. Clark had just missed a long three, and Phoenix pushed in transition. Cunningham sprinted back, beat a younger guard to the spot, absorbed contact on a drive, and drew a charge. The crowd roared. Her teammates mobbed her. It didn’t show up as a highlight. It wasn’t in the scoring column. But it flipped the momentum, and the Fever never trailed again.
That’s what she does.
She’s not Indiana’s top scorer. She’s not their flashiest passer or their best shot-blocker. But ask anyone in that locker room who brings the edge, who brings the voice, who brings the “we’re not backing down” mentality — and Cunningham’s name comes up every time.
That edge is something this young Fever squad needed.
Caitlin Clark is a transcendent talent, but she’s still a rookie navigating the most intense spotlight in modern women’s basketball. Aliyah Boston is a foundational piece, but she’s only in her second year. Kelsey Mitchell is steady, but she’s not the loudest in the room. The Fever needed someone who wasn’t afraid to stir the pot, challenge a teammate, get in a ref’s ear, or swing the game with something other than points.
Cunningham lives for that role.
She brings a college football energy to every WNBA game — pads off, mouthguard in, ready to scrap. And in a league that’s as physical and emotional as any, that matters. Her physicality wears on opponents. Her presence alone can pull defenders out of rhythm. She bumps cutters, contests hard, boxes out with both arms, and claps in your face after a big stop. That fire is contagious.
But it’s not all chaos. There’s discipline too. Cunningham knows when to scale it back, when to defer, when to let the stars take over. She’s not out there hunting shots or trying to play hero ball. She plays her role — and plays it hard.
There’s also something to be said about her experience. While Indiana’s core is learning to win, Cunningham has been through the grind before. She played in deep playoff games with Phoenix. She knows what playoff defense looks like, what it takes to win close games, how to play through pain. That maturity matters in tight fourth quarters. It matters when shots aren’t falling. It matters when young stars are rattled.
Cunningham is the one you want next to you in a foxhole — and the Fever are starting to look like a team that knows it.
Her presence in the starting lineup isn’t a fluke. It’s not a temporary patch. It’s a foundational decision — one that’s paying dividends across the board. Since her insertion into the starting five, Indiana’s offensive efficiency has climbed. Their defensive rating has improved. And perhaps most importantly, their confidence has grown.
Cunningham allows the stars to be stars. She protects Clark on the defensive end, takes pressure off Mitchell as a secondary shooter, and gives Boston more room to work down low. She’s the connector, the energy provider, the enforcer.
That 5-2 record with her in the lineup? That’s not luck. That’s a direct result of what she brings.
Look at the advanced numbers and it becomes even clearer. The Fever have a significantly better net rating when Cunningham is on the floor. Their pace picks up. Their assist-to-turnover ratio improves. She may only average around 8 points per game, but her impact is felt in every possession.
Fans are noticing too. The highlight clips may focus on Clark’s logo threes or Boston’s bruising finishes, but watch the full game and you’ll see Cunningham in the frame on nearly every big moment — pointing, diving, rotating, celebrating. She’s always there.
That’s the mark of a difference-maker.
And in a season where the Fever are fighting for legitimacy, every difference-maker matters. Every spark, every possession, every screen, every deflection — it all adds up.
Sophie Cunningham is helping the Indiana Fever add up wins.
And as this team keeps finding its rhythm, finding its voice, and pushing toward the postseason, don’t be surprised if Cunningham’s role only continues to grow. She’s not just starting games. She’s starting something special.
Because the Fever might have the league’s brightest young stars — but when Sophie Cunningham is in the lineup, they play like a team.
And the scoreboard shows it.
