It is hard enough to suit up in an official game with a new team after suffering a sprained ankle a couple weeks earlier, but that was far from the only adversity Sophie Cunningham faced in her Indiana Fever debut on Thursday night.

The veteran guard, who was traded from the Phoenix Mercury to Indy in a multi-team trade in February, addressed a serious accusation hours before opening tip-off. An employee recently filed a lawsuit against Phoenix Suns and Mercury CEO Josh Bartelstein, and it included a claim that the exec had an affair with Cunningham. The 28-year-old athlete posted an impassioned message, vehemently denying the assertion and the manner in which the story was reported.

She then shifted her focus to the business at hand, a road game versus the Atlanta Dream in State Farm Arena. Cunningham did not show signs of ankle soreness or distress on the court, putting forth a solid effort to help the Fever earn an 81-76 win and avenge Tuesday's tough 91-90 home loss. She scored nine points on 3-of-6 shooting (2-of-4 from 3-point land) and also recorded six rebounds, three assists and a steal in 20 minutes of action.

Sophie Cunningham makes a strong first impression on Fever fans

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Indiana acquired the former Missouri Tigers star to provide valuable depth, and that is exactly what she did in her debut. Cunningham's contributions were especially valuable since most of the Fever's core players struggled from the floor. Caitlin Clark scored 11 points and did not make a basket from long range, ending a streak that lasted for more than 1,000 days. Aliyah Boston, like Clark, got into foul trouble and only finished with four points. Kelsey Mitchell scored 17 points but posted a 36.8 field goal percentage.

Natasha Howard lifted the squad, totaling 26 points on 12-of-17 shooting and grabbing seven rebounds in the win. Sophie Cunningham and Lexie Hull (10 points) each made a critical impact off the bench. Fever head coach Stephanie White said the former does not have a minutes restriction coming off her injury, via ESPN.

Indy has high expectations for the 2025 campaign, so it is incredibly encouraging to see Cunningham fit seamlessly with the team on Thursday. She blocked out the noise and shook off all the rust, displaying the type of poise this franchise covets. The Fever (2-1) next take the court for a Saturday afternoon showdown with the New York Liberty (2-0).