Sophie Cunningham Had Words for Indiana Fever Teammate Who Shot 3-of-16 Against Storm originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Sophie Cunningham just turned in arguably her best performance in an Indiana Fever uniform on Sunday.
The 6-foot-1 guard went off for a season-high 17 points, missing just one of her six attempts in the game, to help lead the Fever to a 78-74 road win against the Seattle Storm at Climate Pledge Arena.
Cunningham contributed four 3-pointers, five rebounds and two assists while playing a team-high 33 minutes in Indiana’s fifth straight victory.
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Kelsey Mitchell Has Off Night Against Storm
As Cunningham reached new heights for the Fever on Sunday, three-time All-Star Kelsey Mitchell struggled. The 5-foot-8 guard went 3 of 16 from the field for nine points. She missed all eight of her attempts from 3-point territory. Mitchell, however, salvaged her performance with two rebounds, five assists and two steals in 30 minutes of play.
Mitchell has endured up-and-down performances during the past week. The 29-year-old led the Fever in scoring with 23 points in Friday’s win against Paige Bueckers and the Dallas Wings. Mitchell, however, shot 3-of-10 for eight points against the Phoenix Mercury on Wednesday. This three-game stretch follows an eight-game hot streak in which she scored 20-or-more points seven times.
Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell (0) struggled with her shot against the Seattle Storm.© John Jones-Imagn Images


Sophie Cunningham Reacts to Mitchell’s Struggles
In her postgame interview, Cunningham acknowledged Mitchell’s struggles from the field against Seattle. Cunningham was quick to point out, however, that her Fever teammate brings so much more to the table than just her scoring.
“Kelsey has been playing a hell of a season,” Cunningham said. “She was a little bit off, but she facilitated for us offensively down the stretch.
“It just shows that everyone has something to give even if your scoring’s not going to be there. I’m just proud of our team, and I’m proud that we stacked today.”
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One of the best features of this Fever squad is its players’ ability to step up to the plate when necessary. This was the case on Sunday. Cunningham and the rest of the team picked up the slack on Mitchell’s off night.
This has been the theme for this team for a significant part of the season, too. Cornerstone superstar Caitlin Clark has been hampered by injury throughout her second season. Clark sat out a seventh straight contest on Sunday due to a groin injury, which also marked the 17th game she has missed for the Fever this season.
The reigning WNBA Rookie of the Year has no timetable for her return, either, which means the rest of the team will need to continue stepping up. What cannot be denied, though, is the Fever have proven they can thrive without their best player.
Related: Caitlin Clark Loses Spot in Fever Franchise History on Sunday
Related: Fever Star Sophie Cunningham Reacts After ESPN Catches Her Pregame Antics
Related: Sophie Cunningham Switches It Up With Unusual Outfit for Fever-Storm Game
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 4, 2025, where it first appeared.
