Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark expressed public support for teammate Sophie Cunningham following confirmation that Cunningham will miss the remainder of the 2025 WNBA season due to a knee injury sustained on Aug. 17 against the Connecticut Sun.
In an Instagram story shared on Monday, Clark reposted a graphic from the Fever’s official account announcing Cunningham’s season-ending injury and added a short message of her own: “Love you always Soph @sophie_cham.”
Cunningham, a key presence in the Fever's lineup, suffered the injury during the first half of the matchup with Connecticut when Sun guard Bria Hartley collided with her right knee. Cunningham immediately clutched her leg in pain and had to be helped off the court by teammates. She did not return to the game.
Fever dealing with multiple injuries
It was reported by Monday that Cunningham tore her MCL. While not as severe as an ACL tear, the injury will still prevent her from returning to action in 2025.
“The way she fell and how she was holding herself and how much pain she was in, at the time it’s like, ‘crap,’” coach Stephanie White said, as reported by Chloe Peterson of the Indianapolis Star. “And then you go down there, you see her and it’s like OK, I just want her to calm down and be able to regroup, and then it turns to problem solving, right? How do we put ourselves in a position to win? I think that’s maybe how I survive is going straight to problem solving. But this group, they’re special and I’m thankful for them.”
Cunningham’s injury is the latest in a series of blows for the Fever, who are already without guards Aari McDonald and Sydney Colson due to season-ending injuries and have been missing Clark since July 15 due to recurring groin issues. White said on Sunday the team is “hopeful” Clark will return before the end of the regular season.
Cunningham, who turned 29 on Saturday, quickly became a fan favorite in her first season with Indiana, known more for her energy and defensive toughness than box score contributions. Her absence further challenges a Fever team clinging to playoff hopes with less than a month remaining in the regular season.
Indiana, currently ranked sixth in the league, next faces the Minnesota Lynx in back-to-back games beginning Friday. With Cunningham out and Clark still recovering, the Fever’s path to the postseason continues to narrow.
