“Ya girl was gassed” - Sophie Cunningham keeps it real after asking for sub 3 minutes into Fever debut

Sophie Cunningham finally made her Indiana Fever debut on the road against the Atlanta Dream on Thursday. However, she admitted that she was still finding her breath as she asked to be subbed barely 3 minutes after coming in.

The former Missouri standout returned to the Fever lineup after sitting out their first two games because of an ankle injury she sustained in their final preseason game.

Cunningham played 21 minutes in her return to action, finishing with nine points to go along with six rebounds and three assists. She went 3-of-6 from the field and 2-of-4 from 3-point territory.

After the game, she poked fun at herself for asking out just three minutes after stepping onto the court. The feisty guard shared a message she got about it on her Instagram story and wrote:

"Ya girl was gassed 🤣"

Sophie Cunningham admits getting tired fast early in her return to action.

The Fever chalked up a victory in Sophie Cunningham's return, defeating the Atlanta Dream, 81-76.

Natasha Howard led the way for Indiana in the win, finishing with 26 points and seven rebounds. Kelsey Mitchell had 17 points while Caitlin Clark put up 10 points, six assists and four rebounds.

The win was a bounce-back result for the Fever (2-1), who lost to the Dream in their previous game on Tuesday.

Lexie Hull welcomes Sophie Cunningham's return to the lineup

The Indiana Fever were happy to get Sophie Cunningham back in action as they got another solid piece in their arsenal. Among those who highlighted her value was fellow bench player Lexie Hull.

Speaking after their 81-76 victory over the Atlanta Dream on Thursday, Hull shared her thoughts on Cunningham's return, highlighting the energy and hustle she brought to the team.

Hull, who had 10 points against Atlanta, said:

"She brings a level of energy that is huge. Not playing in a couple of games, not getting a chance to practice fully before getting back out there, I was just really proud of her, for the energy that she brought. She made some big plays down the stretch, getting her hands on (balls), getting steals, and getting deflections."

Indiana Fever v Atlanta Dream - Source: Getty

Cunningham was one of a host of new players brought in by the Fever in the offseason to shore up their roster. This list also includes Natasha Howard, DeWanna Bonner, Brianna Turner and Sydney Colson.

The Fever will next be in action against the defending champion New York Liberty on Saturday.