The Indiana Fever fell just short of the WNBA Finals on Tuesday night against the Las Vegas Aces in Game 5 of the semifinals. Despite a depleted roster missing stars Caitlin Clark and Sophie Cunningham herself, the Fever pushed the defending champs to the limit.
From the bench, Cunningham kept hyping up the Fever while watching her teammates rally from a nine-point fourth-quarter deficit, only to see Kelsey Mitchell exit with a knee injury and Aliyah Boston foul out. However, moments after the final buzzer, Cunningham fired off a defiant post on social media to send a bold warning to rival WNBA teams, reminding them of the unfinished business.
Sophie Cunningham Sends Bold Message To Rivals After Fever’s Semifinals Exit
This semifinal exit marked the end of the Fever’s season of perseverance, which saw them upset the Atlanta Dream in the first round and win the Commissioner’s Cup despite numerous injuries. However, they maintained their fighting spirit until their last game.
However, soon after the game, Cunningham wasted no time turning heartbreak into fuel. She posted a locker room photo of the smiling Fever roster and staff on X (formerly Twitter) with a caption bolder than ever.
“us. can’t make this season up! so much to be proud of. you better believe we are coming for EVERYBODY next season,” she wrote.
us. can’t make this season up! so much to be proud of. you better believe we are coming for EVERYBODY next season. pic.twitter.com/P2QuSdZZLV
— Sophie Cunningham (@sophaller) October 1, 2025
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However, she justified the hype with the season’s raw facts. The Fever started 1-11, lost Clark after 13 games to a groin injury, and saw Cunningham sidelined by a torn MCL in August. Guards Sydney Colson, Chloe Bibby, and Aari McDonald joined the injury list, forcing coach Stephanie White to lean on hardship signings like Sims and Lexie Hull.
Yet Indiana finished third in net rating over their final 10 regular-season games and stunned the No. 3 Dream in the playoffs. In Game 5, they outscored Vegas 34-22 on the boards and tied it late before overtime slipped away.
Sophie Cunningham Calls Out Cathy Engelbert
Cunningham’s postgame energy carried straight into a scathing Instagram takedown of Engelbert, sparked by Napheesa Collier’s explosive exit interview. Responding to a Sideline Sources post quoting Engelbert’s alleged February remark that Clark should be “grateful” for $16 million in off-court earnings thanks to the WNBA’s platform, Cunningham wrote a fiery post.
“People only know Cathy because of [Caitlin]. She’s the most delusional leader our league has seen. … AND IT SHOULDN’T EVER BE ABOUT OUR COMMISSIONER IN THE FIRST PLACE,” Cunningham wrote.
However, this isn’t Cunningham’s first clash. She’s racked up multiple fines this season for blasting referees. Cunningham even once joked about a GoFundMe for Clark’s penalties. Her shots at Engelbert hit harder, echoing Collier’s call for accountability on officiating and pay.