'Dawg': Sophie Cunningham Gets Praise From Caitlin Clark After Dropping Season High Double-Double Vs Atlanta

16 points, 10 rebounds, and four three-pointers in a 99-82 win took it home for Sophie Cunningham. She hit the ground running straight off the bench, delivering her first double-double of the season. “I bring the energy, I bring the feistiness. I’m a little bit sassy.”

That performance may look really good on the data sheets, but it was also a momentum-shifting performance. Cunningham’s hustle energized the crowd and gave Fever fans another reason to cheer through Indiana’s hot mid-season streak: they are now 3-2 against Atlanta on the year.

Sophie Cunningham is continually growing and evolving her game, which makes her dominate her current role. While plenty of pundits notice her for her shooting and scoring, she’s been gradually transforming into a key element of her team’s game-changing tactics. Sophie Cunningham has become the defensive enforcer Caitlin Clark can rely on, on and off the court, a rising star in her own right.

The Fever are still finding their rhythm, but Cunningham’s consistency on both ends of the floor has been a stabilizing force. Her physicality, timely shooting, and willingness to scrap for possessions give Indiana an edge that shows up long after the box score fades.

Sophie Cunningham Embraces Enforcer Role as Fever’s Protector

Sophie Cunningham isn’t just scoring—she’s sending a message. During a heated game against the Connecticut Sun, she didn’t hesitate to defend Caitlin Clark after an eye-poke incident, taking a flagrant foul to do it. The act earned Cunningham both praise and a $400 fine.

It didn’t stop Sophie Cunningham, who took the foul, took the fine, and made it clear the Fever weren’t going to get pushed around. Stephanie White saw it too, calling out her energy in the locker room and the way she keeps the group locked in.

Since then, it’s been wild. Her follower count shot up, jerseys started flying, and people started calling her what she’s really becoming—Indiana’s enforcer. She’s not out here babysitting. She’s out here backing her team and putting a body on anyone who tries to act tough.

And it’s working. The Fever doesn’t look like a one-woman rookie show anymore. They look tougher. More steady. That shift? Sophie Cunningham had her fingerprints all over it.