May 4, 2025; Iowa City, IA, USA; Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham (8) reacts during the third quarter against the Brazil National Team at Carver-Haweye Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Sophie Cunningham 'Confident' in Role Change With Caitlin Clark Injured

Originally posted on Indiana Fever on SI | By Grant Young | Last updated May 27, 2025 3:16 PM ET

The Indiana Fever are going to look a lot different on the court over the next couple of weeks because of star guard Caitlin Clark being sidelined with a left quad strain.

Not only are Clark's facilitating and scoring capabilities massively important for the Fever, but she is also their primary ball handler. Therefore, other players will have to step up in this regard while she's on the mend.

One player who will be handling the ball more is Sophie Cunningham. And she addressed how she feels about this role change when speaking with the media after Indiana's May 27 practice.

"If I'm handling the ball, that's the kind of offense I want to play in," Cunningham said of the Fever being fast-paced and capitalizing on transition opportunities, per the Fever's YouTube account.

"So I'm confident in [my ball handling]. I work on it. I need to get my rhythm back a little bit, just after being injured and being out. Kind of get my lungs underneath me again," she added.

"So it will be good," Cunningham continued. "I don't mind it. I like it."

Cunningham also added that having Clark absent presents a great opportunity for the Fever, as they will be forced to make plays, pass the ball, and be active on offense when she's not playing, which will only benefit Indiana's offense once she returns.

It will be interesting to see how head coach Stephanie White structures her team's rotation and minutes. While she has already said Sydney Colson will be starting, this doesn't necessarily mean she'll be getting starter-like minutes.

This article first appeared on Indiana Fever on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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