Cunningham set a season high in scoring after catching fire against the Seattle Storm.
Sophie Cunningham Earns New Nickname After Indiana Fever Game originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Indiana Fever star Sophie Cunningham caught fire against the Seattle Storm on Sunday, and she left with a new nickname.
Previously dubbed "The Enforcer" for risking a WNBA fine and ejection to stand up for Fever guard Caitlin Clark earlier in the season, Cunningham dropped a season-high 17 points in the 78-74 win in Seattle.
Sophie Cunningham Earns New Nickname from Natasha Howard
Instead of originating from her millions of followers, Cunningham's fitting new nickname "Firecracker" came from veteran teammate Natasha Howard.
"We step up for each other," Howard wrote in a post on X shortly after the hard-fought win. "We don’t stress over whose night it is we are all there to win, that’s how we repay each other. That’s why I love for the world to see everyone on our bench is good. We enjoy fighting & have each others back."
"Sophie (our firecracker) I’m proud of you," she said. Howard led the team with 21 points in the game.
Between the combative attitude she shows on her new podcast, her fearless nature on the court and her ability to catch fire from beyond the arc, the nickname suits Cunningham in multiple ways.
Cunningham's 3-Point Shooting Was the Difference in Fever Win
Cunningham notched her season high in efficient fashion against the Storm.
- 17 points in 33 minutes
- 5-for-6 on field goals
- 4-for-5 on 3-pointers
- 3-for-4 on free throws
Other than Cunningham, the Fever had nothing going beyond the arc. The rest of the team went a combined 0-for-17 on 3.
this duo was cookin' ♨️
— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) August 3, 2025
Sophie Cunningham and Natasha Howard came up huge, combining for 38 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists in Seattle. pic.twitter.com/C4c9oRXEDS
Her points on the scoreboard were not the only way Cunningham contributed to the offensive effort.
Indiana center Aliyah Boston said that many of her 16 points came on good looks because the "Firecracker" was drawing attention on the perimeter.
One game it may be her physical play. One game it may be her defense. One game it may be her shooting — or all of them at once. Every team would love to have a "Firecracker" in the mold of Cunningham no matter how the nightly contribution takes form.
Related: Exciting Caitlin Clark News Emerges During Fever-Storm Game
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 4, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: Basketball
