EXCLUSIVE: Stephanie White Announces Sophie Cunningham’s Career Could Be Over After Devastating Knee Injury

In a moment that stunned fans and shook the Indiana Fever roster to its core, head coach Stephanie White has confirmed that guard Sophie Cunningham will miss the remainder of the 2025 WNBA season due to a devastating knee injury—and strongly hinted that it could mark the end of Cunningham’s career.

The injury occurred during the Fever’s dramatic overtime win against the Connecticut Sun. Cunningham, a fiery competitor known for her hustle and energy, collapsed to the floor clutching her right knee after colliding with teammate Bria Hartley while trying to receive a pass. She was immediately escorted off the court, unable to put any weight on her leg.

Within hours, the diagnosis was official: a torn medial collateral ligament (MCL). It’s the kind of injury that not only ends a season, but can derail a career—especially for a player approaching 30, in her seventh WNBA season, and just beginning to settle into a new role with a new team.

“She gave us everything,” Coach White said solemnly during a postgame press briefing. “It’s heartbreaking. You don’t just lose a player—you lose a leader, a teammate, someone who brings intensity and toughness every time she steps on the floor.”

Cunningham had been a key contributor for Indiana this season, averaging 8.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, and over 24 minutes per game. Her sharp shooting, grit on defense, and vocal leadership had become essential to a Fever team fighting for a playoff spot despite a series of injury setbacks.

Now, with Cunningham gone, that battle just got even tougher.

The Fever were already without star rookie Caitlin Clark due to a lingering groin strain, and guards Aari McDonald and Sydney Colson have both been ruled out for the season. The team’s injury report reads more like a wounded army than a playoff contender—but somehow, under White’s direction, the Fever continue to claw their way forward.

Against the Sun, they mounted a franchise-record 21-point comeback, pulling off a thrilling win that defied all odds. But the victory was bittersweet, overshadowed by Cunningham’s grim exit and the uncertainty surrounding her future.

When asked directly if Cunningham might return next season, White didn’t offer false hope. “We’ll take it one step at a time, but this is a tough one,” she said. “It’s not just physical—it’s mental, emotional. We support her 100%, whatever the road ahead looks like.”

In a league where careers can be cut short in a single play, Cunningham’s injury serves as a painful reminder of just how fragile an athlete’s journey can be. Whether she returns or not, her impact on this Indiana squad has already been felt. But the loss leaves a void—on the court, in the locker room, and in the hearts of her teammates.

As the Fever push toward the postseason, they’ll do so with one less warrior—and the hope that Sophie Cunningham’s story isn’t finished just yet.