Jul 1, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham (8) celebrates with Indiana Fever guard Sydney Colson (51) after defeating the Minnesota Lynx during the Commissioner’s Cup final at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

'This Is My New Team': Sophie Cunningham Jokingly Calls Medical Staff Her New Team Amid Injury Woes

Originally posted on Hardwood Heroics | By Dan Agulto | Last updated Sep 15, 2025 7:46 AM ET

Sophie Cunningham isn’t letting her right knee surgery steal her humor. The Indiana Fever guard, sidelined with an MCL tear, decided to laugh about it instead.

On Sunday, she posted on her Instagram story while arriving with the team in Atlanta for Game 1 of their first-round playoff series. ESPNW had shared a reel of her walking into the arena, clearly hobbling with a brace on her surgically repaired left knee. Cunningham took the clip and cracked a joke:

“This is my new team, the medical staff,” she wrote.

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It’s classic Sophie — lighthearted even in tough moments. She’s been out since August 18, when she went down against the Connecticut Sun.

The Fever, meanwhile, couldn’t hold their early hot start against the Dream. After a strong first quarter, they stalled in the second and never recovered, losing 80-68. Now, the series heads to Indianapolis for Game 2 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse — the Fever’s first home playoff game since 2016.

Her absence has been felt, especially with Caitlin Clark and several others also unavailable. That left Kelsey Mitchell carrying the load, and she did her part, dropping 27 points and four assists. Aliyah Boston added 12 rebounds but was limited to just eight points as Atlanta pulled away.

Mizzou Hall of Fame Honors Sophie Cunningham

Away from the WNBA grind, Sophie Cunningham also picked up some well-earned recognition. Last Friday, she was inducted into the University of Missouri Athletics Hall of Fame.

Jun 22, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham (8) during the first half of a WNBA basketball game against the Las Vegas Aces at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

Before she ever wore a Fever jersey, Cunningham was a Tiger through and through. From 2015 to 2019, she carved her name into the school’s history books. She left as Mizzou’s all-time leading scorer with 2,187 points and owns the record for most free throws made with 537.

Beyond the numbers, she led the Tigers to four straight NCAA Tournament appearances, something the program has struggled to replicate since her departure. In recent years, they’ve only reached the WNIT.

Joining Sophie Cunningham in this Hall of Fame class were Mike Alden, Bob Brendel, Alyssa Munlyn, Brock Olivo, and former NBA guard Kareem Rush.

Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunninghamposes for a photo Wednesday, April 30, 2025, during the Indiana Fever media day at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

For Cunningham, it’s another reminder of the impact she’s had — both at Mizzou and in the WNBA. Even while wearing a brace and cracking jokes about joining “the medical staff,” her competitive fire and spirit remain the same.

This article first appeared on Hardwood Heroics and was syndicated with permission.

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