"This is my new team, the medical staff" - Sophie Cunningham goes viral with hilarious joke amid bad luck with injuries

Sophie Cunningham joked about having a new team amid her recovery from a right knee injury that required surgery. Cunningham was with the Indiana Fever on Sunday as they traveled to Atlanta. The Fever faced the Dream in Game 1 of their first-round playoff matchup.

In a post on her Instagram stories, Cunningham shared a reel from ESPNW's account showing her walking into the arena before the game. The Mizzou product was hobbling since she was wearing a brace on her surgically repaired left knee. She suffered a torn MCL on Aug. 18 against the Connecticut Sun.

"This is my new team, the medical staff," Cunningham said.

Sophie Cunningham was on the sidelines as the Indiana Fever were unable to sustain their hot shooting in the first quarter in Game 1 against the Atlanta Dream. The Fever scored just 12 points in the second quarter as the Dream began taking control of the game to eventually earn the 80-68 win.

Game 2 of the series shifts back to Indianapolis on Tuesday for the first WNBA postseason game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse since 2016. The league changed the format this year by giving the fifth- through eighth-seeded teams a home game for Game 2 rather than Game 3.

Kelsey Mitchell carried the Fever's offense with 27 points and four assists, while Aliyah Boston was limited to just eight points, 12 rebounds and five assists. Odyssey Sims was the only other player for Indiana to reach double digits in scoring, finishing with 10 points, three rebounds and three assists.

Sophie Cunningham inducted into Mizzou Hall of Fame last Friday

Before becoming a WNBA star, Sophie Cunningham played college basketball for the Missouri Tigers from 2015 to 2019. Cunningham became Mizzou's all-time leading scorer with 2,187 points, as well as the player with the most free throws made with 537.

The Columbia, Missouri, native also led the Tigers to four straight NCAA tournament appearances. The program hasn't reached the same heights since Cunningham left in 2019. They have failed to qualify for the tournament and have only been invited to the WNIT from 2021 to 2023.

Due to her contributions to Mizzou athletics, Cunningham was inducted into the university's Hall of Fame last Friday. She was one of six to receive the honor, along with Mike Alden, Bob Brendel, Alyssa Munlyn, Brock Olivo and former NBA player Kareem Rush.

About the author

Juan Paolo is a journalist for Sportskeeda who covers the NBA and WNBA. He's been writing about basketball since 2015 and has been with Sportskeeda since 2021.

Juan's allegiance lies with the Golden State Warriors and his journey with the Warriors began with their memorable victory over the Lakers in 2000, and he experienced the successes of the 'We Believe' era and the rise of Steph Curry.

What Juan loves most about basketball is its ability to evoke a range of emotions, from adrenaline-fueled excitement to the highs of victory and the lows of defeat. To ensure complete accuracy in articles, he conducts thorough research before writing his articles.

The Warriors' victories in the 2022 and 2017 championships hold a special place in Juan's memories, as well as iconic moments like Baron Davis' dunk over Andrei Kirilenko and Goran Dragic's performance in the 2010 Western Conference semifinals.

Off the court, Juan enjoys watching football, TV and movies, caring for his numerous cats, and cooking whenever time permits.

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Edited by Juan Paolo David