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The Indiana Fever did not need many words to generate excitement about Sophie Cunningham’s return to work. Indiana featured Cunningham in a social media update Thursday as the Fever began preparing for the final portion of the 2026 WNBA season.
“Happy to be back,” the Fever wrote on X, adding a heart emoji.
The post arrives during the WNBA’s extended break for the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup. Indiana has not played since Aug. 28, but it will return to action Sept. 18 against the Toronto Tempo. For Cunningham, getting back inside the Fever facility represents another important moment in a comeback season that began with plenty of uncertainty.
Sophie Cunningham has delivered impressive comeback season
Cunningham’s first season with Indiana ended painfully when she suffered a torn MCL in her right knee against the Connecticut Sun in August 2025. The injury ended Cunningham’s season after 30 games and prevented her from participating in the Fever’s playoff run. She had averaged 8.6 points and 3.5 rebounds while shooting a career-high 43.2% from 3-point range.
happy to be back ❤️ pic.twitter.com/cP0rFBZuTJ
— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) September 10, 2026Cunningham returned to Indiana on a one-year contract in April. She said at the time that the Fever’s connection and unfinished business made returning an easy decision.
“We fought through a ton of adversity, and it was important to me that we have a chance to see through what we started,” Cunningham said when her new contract was announced.
She has done far more than simply make it back onto the court.
Cunningham has appeared in 39 of Indiana’s first 40 games this season, averaging 8.3 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 22.7 minutes per game. Her efficiency has been particularly valuable. Cunningham is shooting 46.9% from the field, 43.4% from beyond the arc and 87.5% at the free-throw line.
Those numbers have made Cunningham one of the Fever’s most dependable floor spacers. Her ability to punish defenses for leaving her open creates additional room for Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell. Cunningham also continues to provide the toughness, energy and personality that made her a fan favorite during her first year in Indiana.
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Indiana Fever have plenty at stake after WNBA break
Indiana entered the World Cup break with a 26-14 record and fifth place in the WNBA standings. The Fever won six of their final eight games before the break, including a convincing 111-91 victory over Connecticut on Aug. 28. Indiana has already secured a playoff berth, but its final four games will determine postseason seeding and potential first-round matchups.
The Fever return against Toronto on Sept. 18 before hosting the Washington Mystics on Sept. 20.
Indiana then finishes the regular season with consecutive games against the Minnesota Lynx. The first will be played at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Sept. 22, followed by the finale in Minnesota on Sept. 24. That schedule gives the Fever very little time to rediscover their rhythm after a three-week interruption.
The break may have helped Cunningham and Indiana’s other veteran players rest after a demanding stretch. It also created the challenge of maintaining the chemistry that helped the Fever surge into the postseason picture.
Indiana’s latest post offered a simple answer to how Cunningham feels about getting started again. She is back with the Fever and ready for the most important portion of the season.
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