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Sophie Cunningham found the perfect way to take advantage of some rare time away from basketball. The Indiana Fever guard enjoyed a bikini boat day with friends during the WNBA’s extended break for the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup, trading packed arenas and playoff pressure for sunshine and time on the water.
Cunningham reshared a photo from the outing on her Instagram Stories, according to OutKick. The photo showed Cunningham posing in a printed bikini alongside friends during a final summer getaway.
The outing was part of a delayed 30th birthday celebration at the Lake of the Ozarks in Cunningham’s home state of Missouri. Cunningham turned 30 on Aug. 16, but the Fever’s demanding schedule did not leave much room for an extended celebration. Her sister, Lindsey Cunningham, shared additional moments from the birthday weekend, which included an entire day on the boat before the group finally got to the cake.
Sophie Cunningham makes most of rare WNBA break
WNBA players typically do not receive much time away during the regular season. Indiana played 11 games in August before entering the World Cup break, including five games over an eight-day stretch late in the month. That schedule made the opportunity to relax with family and friends particularly valuable.
Only the best days… pic.twitter.com/adpCJ1RK0k
— Sophie Cunningham FAN CLUB (@SophieC_FanClub) September 8, 2026Cunningham spent part of the break in Missouri before returning to Indianapolis to rejoin the Fever. Indiana celebrated the team’s return Thursday with a social media post featuring Cunningham and the simple message, “Happy to be back.”
The timing could hardly be better.
Cunningham has enjoyed an impressive comeback season after a torn MCL ended her 2025 campaign. She has appeared in 39 of Indiana’s first 40 games, averaging 8.3 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists. Her shooting has been especially important for the Fever. Cunningham is making 46.9% of her attempts from the field and 43.4% from 3-point range while connecting on 87.5% of her free throws.
Those numbers have helped Cunningham provide valuable spacing around Caitlin Clark, Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston.
MORE: Indiana Fever welcome Sophie Cunningham back with heartfelt message before WNBA return
Indiana Fever return with playoff position at stake
Cunningham’s relaxing boat day came before a demanding finish to Indiana’s regular season. The Fever entered the break with a 26-14 record and had already clinched a playoff berth. Indiana won six of its final eight games before the pause, including a 111-91 victory over the Connecticut Sun on Aug. 28.
Only four regular-season games remain.
The Fever return to action against the Toronto Tempo on Sept. 18. They then host the Washington Mystics and Minnesota Lynx before concluding the season with another matchup against Minnesota on Sept. 24. Indiana’s postseason seed remains unsettled, making the final stretch important despite the team already securing its place in the playoffs.
The World Cup break gave Cunningham time to rest, enjoy her delayed birthday and spend a final summer day on the boat. Now the veteran guard is back in Indianapolis with an opportunity to help the Fever make a deep postseason run. Cunningham made the most of the pause. The next time she gets an extended break, she hopes it will come after a long playoff stay.
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