Sophie Cunningham and the Indiana Fever are set to return to the court on September 18 following a 17-day break in the WNBA season. The team currently holds the fifth spot with a 26-14 record. However, the 30-year-old guard believes that to seriously contend for the championship, her team must address one critical issue.
Cunningham recently launched a podcast with NBA skills trainer Drew Hanlen called “No Hesitation,” where she emphasized the need for her teammates to enhance their coordination. She pointed out that while the team has been refining various strategies, their main challenge lies in their scramble defense, boxing out, and rebounding. According to Cunningham, it’s rare for all five players on the court to be fully in sync, with at least one player often losing focus or failing to fulfill their defensive role. She added that effective one-on-one defense requires support from teammates, but the Fever have struggled with consistent teamwork in this area.
The Fever face four more regular-season games after the break, which Cunningham describes as the toughest stretch left this season. They will compete against the Toronto Tempo, Washington Mystics, and Minnesota Lynx twice. Despite this daunting schedule, Cunningham views it as an opportunity. She stressed the importance of having five or six players scoring in double figures, noting that the team rarely loses when this happens.
While the team seems to have good rhythm and chemistry, Cunningham insists they must work on communication and maintain a strong defensive focus moving forward. She emphasized the urgency with only a few games left to set themselves up for a successful postseason. Among her notable teammates, Cunningham highlighted Kelsey Plum, Caitlin Clark, and Aliyah Boston as key players who could take charge offensively on any given night.
Fan Take: This update from Sophie Cunningham sheds light on the crucial areas Indiana Fever must improve to make a real championship run, showing how teamwork and defense still define success in the WNBA. For fans, it’s a reminder that the league’s competitive intensity is rising, and how these final games could shape the future of one of its most promising teams.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
