Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham injured her right knee during her team’s game against the Connecticut Sun on Sunday. The injury happened in the second quarter, sending the 28-year-old out of the court. The team announced later that Cunningham would not be coming back for the rest of the game.
The game went on while Fever were defending. Cunningham drifted over to assist in shutting down Sun’s Bria Hartley. After Hartley passed the ball away, she seemed to stumble and sit down awkwardly on Cunningham’s right leg. The Fever star winced with pain, holding her knee right away. She hobbled for a short time down the baseline before stumbling, and medical personnel came racing onto the court. Cunningham was eventually led off to the locker room for more evaluation.
Extent of the Injury
Although the initial indications are of a knee injury, the extent and severity are not known. The team physicians will undergo scanning and medical examinations in the coming days to ascertain the extent of the injury.
If the injury is a mild knee sprain, it may only take a couple of weeks to recover. But a more severe sprain may keep Cunningham out for a few months. Cleveland Clinic says knee sprains are one of the most prevalent basketball injuries because of the intense movements and collisions involved in the sport.
Will Cunningham Miss Games Coming Up?
The Fever have a game against the Minnesota Lynx on August 23. Whether Cunningham will be back in time depends solely on the diagnosis. There is only five days’ time between the two games, and it is a close call.
If benched, Cunningham will be added to an already lengthy Fever injury list. Caitlin Clark has been sidelined since mid-July due to a groin strain, and point guards Aari McDonald and Sydney Colson are already out for the season. Losing another important player could severely damage Indiana’s playoff aspirations.
Cunningham’s older sister, Lindsey, took to social media in frustration, calling out WNBA officiating standards. In an X (formerly Twitter) post, she posted:
“.@WNBA maybe you should worry less about penalizing players for speaking on your subpar officiating & more about bringing in officials who can call a fair game and shield your players. Pathetic. Praying for you.
While Fever fans hold their breath for official word, anxiety mounts around the availability of one of their most reliable performers. Cunningham’s leadership and scoring prowess have been a critical component of the team this season. Whether she is back on court soon or is out for an extended period will go a long way in defining Indiana Fever’s campaign.
