Sophie Cunningham has been a great addition to the Indiana Fever. Soon after joining the squad, the 29-year-old impressed the crowd with her physical play. Meanwhile, she also had a blooming friendship with the Fever star, Caitlin Clark. So much so that her antics to protect Clark on the court earned her the ‘enforcer’ tag. Now then, as free agency is coming up, Clark recently urged Cunningham to re-sign with Indiana. And well, it looks like the Fever guard might just keep Clark’s request.
Recently, speaking on her ‘Show Me Something’ podcast, Cunningham pointed out how much of an influence Clark has on the team. Needless to say, the 29-year-old once again had significant words of praise.
Sophie Cunningham Details Caitlin Clark’s Impact On Indiana Fever
Clark had taken the league by storm in her rookie season back in 2024. And while she was unable to take an active part due to her injury this year, the 23-year-old did travel a lot with the team. Reflecting on how much Clark is involved with her team, Cunningham opined that the 2024 Rookie of the Year must have a lot of say in terms of what’s going on with the team.
“Yeah, as she should. When you have a generational talent like that, she should have a lot to say of the system,” said Cunningham.
Well, Cunningham might have a pretty solid point here. Clark has already earned a lot of pats on the back from her teammates. And not only that, her leadership qualities have been appreciated by coaches from rival teams, too. In a recent statement following the WNBA triumph, Aces’ head coach Becky Hammon mentioned Clark in her speech.
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Becky Hammon Praises Caitlin Clark’s Contribution To WNBA’s Growth
The current situation within the WNBA is not pleasant at all. As the CBA negotiations are going on, the tensions among the players and the league leadership have heightened. To add further fuel to the situation, league commissioner Cathy Engelbert allegedly made some controversial statements against Clark. Immediately, the likes of Cunningham expressed frustration and criticized Engelbert for her comments. Clark also got support from Hammon as she highlighted how much Clark has contributed to the growth of the league.
“These [modern] players are bigger, stronger, faster, and more skilled than it was just 10 years ago. So I think those guys who laid the groundwork showed how winning should be done… but the skill set, and the level that these guys are at, to me, it’s not comparable. You have rookies coming in like Paige [Bueckers], and Caitlin [Clark], and Angel [Reese], and they’re ready, now, to compete. And so I just think the quality from top to bottom… These guys have elite skill set,” Hammon said.
Surely, it is evident that even though injured, the light still shines brightly on Clark. And while she is nursing her injury at the moment, Clark will be hoping to return completely fit next season.