Sophie Cunningham keeps it real.
"I Don't Think It Affects Us Anymore": Sophie Cunningham Gets 100% Real on Caitlin Clark's Absence originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Indiana Fever made a big announcement on Thursday about the injury status of cornerstone superstar Caitlin Clark. The good news is that no additional injury or damage was discovered after further medical evaluations. The downside, however, is that the reigning WNBA Rookie of the Year still has no timetable for her return.
Despite Clark’s absence, however, the Fever were still able to secure a crucial win against the Las Vegas Aces, 80-70, on Thursday night. Sophie Cunningham got the start again with Clark sidelined, and the veteran guard responded with another strong showing, finishing with 15 points, three rebounds and three triples in 33 minutes of action.
Cunningham spoke to reporters after the game, and one of the questions she was asked centered on Clark’s injury and how the team has been coping with the uncertainty surrounding her injury status from game to game. According to the 28-year-old, the Fever are now operating under the assumption that Clark is out of the picture.
"I don't think that it affects us anymore," Cunningham said. "We put out a statement today that she's day-to-day, and so we know that as a team. And so that's helpful to mentally prepare. I really do think that if we have Caitlin, great. We know how to play with her. If we don't have Caitlin, great. We know how to play without her.
"I think that's just so important. It gives people confidence that when she is back, they know their role. When she's not, they have the confidence to come out there to make big plays for us.”
The Indiana Fever Are 'Stacking the Days' With Caitlin Clark Out
To be clear, Cunningham isn’t saying here that the Fever is a better team without Clark. What she means is that the players are not letting themselves get bogged down by whether or not she will suit up every single game.
Indiana has proven that it can win without its best player on the court, and the players know they have no other choice but to hold down the fort until Clark is able to return.
"So for us, I don't really think it's something that we think about anymore,” Cunningham continued. “For us, it's taken one day at a time, stacking the days. And tonight, I think we did a really good job."
Related: Sophie Cunningham Steals the Spotlight With Her Eye-Catching Outfit for Fever-Aces Game
Related: Caitlin Clark-Less Fever Shine the Spotlight on One Player After Win Against Aces
Related: Caitlin Clark Breaks Her Own Record to Rewrite WNBA History at $660K
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 25, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: Basketball
