The Sophie Cunningham Classic has been a hit on its first day. From a huge turnout of high-schoolers wanting to showcase their skills to a wide array of sponsors aiding the cause, the event looks like a huge hit already. And the Indiana Fever star Sophie Cunningham was taking it all in courtside at the event.
Speaking to ABC 17 news reporter Nathalie Jones, Sophie credited her time with the Indiana Fever for her popularity and as one of the reasons behind the huge success of the Sophie Cunningham Classic. The currently injured guard even talked about her Indiana Fever teammates, Caitlin Clark and Lexie Hull, and the locker room environment.
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“We all had a vision of what this team could be. We kept the main thing, that’s winning basketball games. When we all started going down, our team just got closer and closer. Hopefully, we can keep our core together and go get a championship together,” she told Nathalie Jones when asked about Caitlin Clark, Lexie Hull, and the culture at the Indiana Fever.
The camaraderie between Caitlin Clark, Sophie Cunningham, and the entire Indiana Fever roster has been evident both on and off the court this season.
From taking technical fouls in an attempt to defend their teammates on the court to participating in each other’s celebrations off it, the Indiana Fever has become one tight-knit unit.
The 2025 campaign saw the Indiana Fever face a lot of obstacles, with injuries forcing them to even go for an emergency signing in the form of Aari McDonald. Then, the former Atlanta Dream star also got injured and was ruled out for the rest of the season.
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In the midst of all these, Kelsey Mitchell stepped up as the Indiana Fever narrowly missed out on making it to the WNBA Finals.
Sophie Cunningham made sure to give a shout-out to Kelsey, too, for her role in the 2025 campaign for the Indiana Fever during her conversation with Nathalie Jones.
As the offseason continues and players nurse their injuries, recover, and rest ahead of the new season, the Sophie Cunningham Classic is a grassroots event that allows an exchange of knowledge from the WNBA stars to the hopefuls and aspirants. Also, it serves as an early scouting opportunity for college programs, with top players from many local regions in the Midwest taking part in the 3-day event.
The Indiana Fever and the problem of plenty heading into 2026
There is an air of positivity surrounding the Indiana Fever. While the franchise missed out on a WNBA Finals appearance, they showed just how strong a squad they have, even without their star, Caitlin Clark. Not to mention their Commissioner’s Cup success by beating defending champions Minnesota Lynx in the Final.
Jul 1, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White holds up the Commissioner’s Cup trophy with Indiana Fever forward Natasha Howard (6) after defeating the Minnesota Lynx at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images
However, the Indiana Fever are now spoiled for choice ahead of the Expansion Draft heading into 2026.
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The franchise can only protect six players from the Expansion Draft, potentially five depending on the CBA terms. Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston are currently contracted to the Indiana Fever and are former first picks, making them almost automatic choices to be protected.
Lexie Hull enters 2026 as a restricted free agent, but the Fever have first refusal rights and an option to match the highest offer. The 26-year-old, who is a cornerstone of the Indiana Fever roster, has expressed her desire to stay with the franchise.
The Fever would also likely want to protect Kelsey Mitchell. But a lot of it will depend on whether the core rules leave her eligible or not.
There are other strong players like Aari McDonald, Sophie Cunningham, Damiris Dantas, Makayla Timpson, Sydney Colson, and Brianna Turner. But, there will possibly be 2 or a maximum of 3 slots left for the Indiana Fever and a host of players to choose from.
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The goal for the Indiana Fever is simple.
Head Coach Stephanie White would love to keep as many of her core players as possible while seeing the return of Caitlin Clark from her season-ending injury. That should set the franchise up for another deep run in 2026, this time maybe going one or two steps further towards the glory that is the WNBA Championship.
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