For the first time since getting traded to the Indiana Fever back in January, Sophie Cunningham is back in Phoenix to battle her former team. Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts had nothing but praise for his ex-player, dropping a heartfelt tribute before Thursday's contest.During his pregame press conference, Tibbetts discussed the trade that sent Cunningham to Indiana. He praised the Missouri product for her toughness and leadership, stating her desire to play in spite of injuries. He also called her a good player who had to be a part of the package that sent Alyssa Thomas and Satou Sabally to Phoenix."Last year, I really enjoyed coaching Sophie," Tibbetts said. "She brings a level of toughness that every team needs. She battled through injuries some players would have sat. She competes at a high level. When you do trades to get good players, unfortunately, you got to trade good players."The toughness and leadership were clear once Sophie Cunningham became an enforcer for Caitlin Clark. Cunningham battled with players to protect Clark, who will miss her ninth consecutive game on Thursday against the Phoenix Mercury. She's still dealing with a groin injury, and there is no timetable for her return.Cunningham was selected 13th overall by the Mercury in the second round of the 2019 WNBA draft out of Missouri. She primarily came off the bench in her first three seasons before finally breaking out in 2022 as a starter, averaging 12.6 points per game.The Indiana Fever acquired her in a historic four-team trade in January as part of their efforts to surround Clark with a better roster. Cunningham has been a hit with Fever fans already, especially after the game against the Connecticut Sun in June.Sophie Cunningham hit by flying adult toy in another WNBA incidentSophie Cunningham hit by flying adult toy in another WNBA incident. (Photo: IMAGN)The WNBA suddenly has a growing security problem after another throwing incident happened on Tuesday. A fan threw a green adult toy into the court, hitting Sophie Cunningham in the leg. It was the third incident wherein a green adult toy flew to the court.There were other instances in other games, though the obscene objects didn't reach the hardwood floors. Arrests have been made, and the league reportedly introduced a "no bag policy" to combat the growing number of flying "mean greens" during games.Ironically, Cunningham tweeted before Tuesday's fiasco that fans should stop throwing stuff on the court because they might hit a player.