Caitlin Clark's New Teammate Reveals What Everyone Thinks About Indiana Fever

Yahoo

04-05-2025

Caitlin Clark's new teammate Sophie Cunningham got a new version of the Indiana Fever experience in her first preseason game, and it left a strong impression.
In the second quarter of Indiana's preseason game against the Washington Mystics, Cunningham had a heated exchange with Mystics rookie Kiki Iriafen that left them both on the hardwood. The chaos continued later in the quarter, when Washington guard Brittney Sykes gave her a shove in the back.
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The Fever acquired Cunningham, a career 7.7 point-per-game scorer, from the Phoenix Mercury in a three-team trade during the offseason.
When she arrived in Indiana, Cunningham recalled her experience in Phoenix last season, watching from afar and seeing the amount of pressure on Clark and the Fever.
Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham speaks during Indiana Fever's media day Wednesday, April 30, 2025, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.Christine Tannous/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Just one preseason game into her Indiana career, Cunningham already had a new perspective on what that pressure felt like from the inside.
"[Fever forward DeWanna Bonner] had my back and that's what it's all about," Cunningham said of the incident involving Sykes against the Mystics.
"We have a huge target on our backs," she stated. "I don't think that's a secret.'
As an organization, the Fever have embraced being the center of attention heading into the 2025 WNBA season. They rolled out an ad campaign for Clark's sophomore season titled "Now You Know," that is plastered on billboards around Indianapolis.
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"Our road games sound like home games and out fan base doesn't ask for permission to show up and dominate," the team said, acknowledging its role as the main attraction in any arena — including Sunday's sold-out preseason game at Iowa's Carver-Hawkeye Arena, where Clark played in college.
As one of seven experienced WNBA players to join the Fever in the offseason, Cunningham represents the movement to build a fearsome team around Clark that has high expectations to compete for a championship in 2025.
"I think that our team right now is turning heads," she told the Indy Star. "DeWanna Bonner, getting her was huge. She was one of my vets when I was a rookie coming in. And she's no one to mess with. You have Natasha Howard, you have Aliyah Boston, you have Kelsey Mitchell. We just have a squad, and our depth is amazing. I'm just excited."
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"To be honest, when you have a group that can let go of the egos and come here to win and work hard, I think that's the best type of group," she added. "When you're all willing to do the dirty work, that's what I'm most excited about. That's my bread and butter right there, to outwork your opponents, and have fun doing it."
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