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Indiana Fever's All-Star guard Kelsey Mitchell is high on the addition of Sophie Cunningham to their team. She considers the former Missouri standout as a wild card as the Fever hope to be a solid run in the upcoming WNBA season.
Kelsey shared her thoughts on Cunningham, who signed a one-year, $100,000 contract with the Fever in the offseason, after Cunningham's impressive showing in the 79-74 overtime preseason victory over the Washington Mystics on Saturday in Indianapolis.
The eight-year veteran guard told reporters during the postgame press conference:
"Sophie is that wild card. Her and Lexie (Hull) together. I think their energy and I talk about effort defensively and just figuring it out and having a willingness. They do an unbelievable job of just being present."
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Cunningham, who spent her first six years in the WNBA with the Phoenix Mercury, had an impressive start to her Fever stint. She came off the bench to provide the spark to the team to secure the gutsy OT win.
She finished with a team-high 21 points on 6-of-11 shooting and 2-of-6 from 3-point territory, to go along with eight rebounds in 35 minutes. Cunningham also provided energy and toughness on both ends, helping cushion the absence of starting point guard Caitlin Clark, who sat out the game as a precaution for a leg issue.
Hull scored 13 points, while Kelsey Mitchell had 12 in the win. The Fever next play the Brazil national team in another preseason game on Sunday in Iowa City.
Kelsey Mitchell says building a culture and chemistry key for the Fever to succeed
Kelsey Mitchell is aware that the Indiana Fever did well in improving their roster for the 2025 WNBA season. She, however, said that now is the time to build the culture and chemistry needed to reap the desired result.
She spoke about it as the Fever gear up for the start of the new WNBA season later this month, underscoring that the key for them will be to deliver from their end and making each other better. Mitchell said:
“When you respect your teammates and respect (them) as competitors, it makes for a better relationship. It makes for a better dynamic, and I think that me and (Caitlin Clark) established that. ...
Mitchell added:
“I think everything with us is going to always be culture, and really put together, because we’ve already established who we were as people and as players, and how we can help make each other better."
For the 2025 WNBA season, Indiana brought in DeWanna Bonner, Natasha Howard, Brianna Turner, Sophie Cunningham and Sydney Colson as well as rookies Makayla Timpson and Bree Hall. They join forces with the top trio of Kelsey Mitchell, Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston.
The Fever made the playoffs for the first time in eight years last season with a 20-20 record. They start their new campaign at home against the Chicago Sky on May 17.
