Sophie Cunningham issues health update after season-ending injury

Sophie Cunningham has given Indiana Fever fans an update on her health, after being shut down for the rest of the season due to a devastating knee injury she suffered earlier in the month

Indian Fever has had another stroke of bad luck after star guard Sophie Cunningham was ruled out until the end of the season after suffering a brutal knee injury that was announced last week, and she’s now provided an update on her condition.

Cunningham tore her MCL in her right knee during their win over the Connecticut Sun, just one day after her 29th Birthday, in the second season-ending injury in a matter of weeks for the Fever. She’ll join guards Aari McDonald and Sydney Colson on the sidelines for the rest of the year.

Soon after the injury, she was rushed into surgery to try and repair the ligament, and has said she’s feeling “real good” after the operation and is hoping to start taking the steps back to recovery.

Fever head coach Stephanie White had said that she hoped Clark would recover in time to make a last push in the regular season, but that now looks unlikely.

Indiana is currently in sixth place in this year’s standings, and with less than a month until the postseason, they are looking to cling to the top eight places so they can make the playoffs.

Speaking on the Show Me Something podcast, the 29-year-old said: “I’ve been doing a little bit of rehab. Lots of icing, just trying to get an extension. … I’ve been really trying to work on getting my leg straight.

Seemingly in high spirits, the guard even joked: “They went in there, and everything-oh, listen to this. They said for my age, and for what I do for a living, that my knees are looking really nice. I said, ‘that’s what he said!’”

The podcast she hosts alongside West Wilson has landed her in some trouble with the WNBA after they dished out fines to Cunningham for each of the first three episodes after she criticized some of the league’s referees.

Cunningham signed for the Fever last year after spending her first six seasons with the Phoenix Mercury, after they drafted her with their 13th pick in the 2019 draft.

Her one-year deal in Indiana is worth $100,000, but with her contract finishing in the off-season, it’s not yet known if the franchise will choose to re-sign her while still being injured.

This season she’d already racked up 30 games for the season, with an average of 8.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1.7 three-pointers.

Although if Cunningham were to become a free agent once again in the off-season, she is expected to make a full recovery, which may help in her search for a new team.