Liputan6.com, Jakarta Sophie Cunningham, a key player for the Indiana Fever of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), suffered a concerning right knee injury on Sunday, August 17, 2025.
The incident occurred during a heated game between the Indiana Fever and the Connecticut Sun, raising serious concerns about the star's health.
The injury began in the second quarter of the game, when Connecticut Sun player Bria Hartley lost her balance and accidentally fell onto Cunningham's right leg while attempting a pass.
Cunningham immediately clutched her knee and appeared to be in severe pain, requiring medical assistance to leave the court.
Although the Indiana Fever pulled off a remarkable comeback victory by a franchise-record 21 points, Sophie Cunningham's injury adds to a long list of absent players.
Sophie Cunningham Injury Details
The details of the incident involving Sophie Cunningham occurred in the second quarter of the game.
Bria Hartley, an opposing player, accidentally fell onto Cunningham's right leg, causing a knee injury that immediately triggered an intense pain response.
Cunningham immediately held her knee and displayed a look of intense pain.
She was helped off the field by medical personnel and did not return to the game.
Fever coach Stephanie White expressed concern about the incident.
White stated that her initial reaction was "holy sh*t" because of the way Cunningham fell and how she held her knee, indicating the severity of Sophie Cunningham's injury.
The Indiana Fever confirmed that Cunningham suffered a right knee injury and was unable to continue.
Indiana Fever Condition and Impact Update
To determine the severity of her knee injury, Sophie Cunningham is scheduled to undergo an MRI on Monday, August 18, 2025.
Medical experts estimate that if there is significant ligament damage, such as to the ACL or MCL, Cunningham could be out for weeks or even months.
Sophie Cunningham's injury adds to the challenges facing the Indiana Fever, who are already missing several key players.
Star player Caitlin Clark has been out since July 15 with a groin injury, while Sydney Colson and Aari McDonald are also expected to miss the rest of the 2025 season with ACL injuries and foot fractures, respectively.
Amid this injury crisis, Cunningham's older sister, Lindsey, took to social media to voice her frustration with WNBA referees, citing a lack of player protection.
Cunningham's sister, Lindsey, took to X after the game to point blame at the officials for the injury.
"@WNBA maybe you should focus less on fining players for commenting on your poor officiating & more about hiring officials that are able to call a consistent game and protect your athletes," she wrote, with Sophie Cunningham reposting her sister's message.
Cunningham himself continued to show his enthusiasm by tweeting at X to encourage his teammate, Kelsey Mitchell, who performed brilliantly in the victory.
Getting to Know Sophie Cunningham: Profile and Achievements
Sophie Elizabeth Cunningham, born on August 16, 1996, in Columbia, Missouri, USA, is now 28 years old.
Standing 1.85 m tall and weighing 75 kg, she comes from an athletic family; both of her parents were athletes at the University of Missouri, and she even earned a black belt in Taekwondo at the age of six.
In her professional career, Sophie Cunningham plays shooting guard or small forward.
She has been playing for the Indiana Fever since 2025, after previously playing for the Phoenix Mercury from 2019 to 2024.
Cunningham was selected in the second round of the 2019 WNBA Draft by the Phoenix Mercury.
Before Sophie Cunningham's injury, she had an impressive 2025 season, averaging 8.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game.
Her shooting percentage reached 47.7% from the field and 44.3% from three-point range, making her a key player, especially in the absence of Caitlin Clark.
Her college career at the University of Missouri (2015–2019) was also stellar.
She became the Missouri program's all-time leading scorer with 2,187 points and was the leader in free throws made.
During her college career, she averaged 17.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game.
She has earned numerous awards, including WNBA Commissioner's Cup Champion (2025), Third-team All-American (2019), and three-time First-team All-SEC (2017–2019).
She was also named SEC Freshman of the Year (2016) and McDonald's All-American (2015).
In addition to playing, since December 2022, Cunningham has also been active as an analyst for the Phoenix Suns on their television coverage.