The Indiana Fever have not come close to living up to the hype that surrounded them entering the 2025 WNBA season. At the beginning of the year, they were widely viewed as one of the top championship contenders in the league.
So far, they have not looked like a contender. Instead, they have gotten off to an incredibly frustrating start that has seen Caitlin Clark miss a lot of time due to injury and the team not be able to gel together.
Following their most recent loss to the Golden State Valkyries, the Fever are facing a lot of pressure. Sophie Cunningham, the veteran guard for Indiana, knows it.
Cunningham and company are set for a Friday night matchup at home against the Atlanta Dream. It won’t be an easy game, but it’s one that Cunningham believes the Fever will show up for after their dismal loss against the Valkyries.
Read more: Caitlin Clark Facing Backlash Following Fever-Valkyries Game
Ahead of the game, she spoke out with a strong and urgent message for her teammates.
“I think tomorrow night you’re gonna see a lot of fight. We’re starting to get a little bit pissed off and I think that’s what we need. We need a fire under our butts,” Cunningham said.
“We’re running out of time, to be honest. I think that’s gonna light a fire under our butts. So hopefully, you’re gonna see that energy shift tomorrow.”
Clark came into the 2025 season expected to be an MVP candidate. Between her injuries and not living up to the hype when she has been on the court, she hasn’t come close to reaching those expectations.
While there have been flashes of big-time potential from Indiana, those flashes have not turned into consistency. The talent is there for the Fever to be a very good team, but it’s time to either prove it or watch the season waste away.
Read more: Caitlin Clark Names Best NBA Player of All-Time Without Hesitation
This is exactly the kind of message that a leader needed to step up and send. Cunningham is right that Indiana is running out of time to kick it into gear.
Hopefully, she is correct that the Fever are ready to light a fire under themselves. There is no excuse for the season that they have put together so far.
It will be interesting to see what the matchup against the Dream ends up looking like. The game is set to tip off at 7:30 p.m. ET.
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