With the Indiana Fever’s season over, Sophie Cunningham’s future with the franchise is suddenly less certain. The veteran guard became an unrestricted free agent after her one-year, $665,000 contract expired following the Fever’s first-round playoff exit.
Her future has also drawn scrutiny amid a modest decline in per-game scoring, fueling debate over whether the attention surrounding her remains worthwhile for Indiana. Cunningham, however, does not sound ready to walk away from basketball or accept that her best years are behind her.
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Sophie Cunningham Believes She Can Become a ‘2.0 Version’ of Herself
Cunningham made that message clear on Saturday’s episode of her “No Hesitation” podcast, where she sounded more excited about what comes next than discouraged by the season she just had. On Tuesday, her comments went viral on X.
“For some reason, I still just love basketball,” Cunningham said. “I still have that fire inside of me, and I still think my best days are ahead of me.”
The veteran 3-and-D specialist believes there is still another level to her game, and she already has plans for how to reach it.
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“I do feel there’s more in my tank,” the former Phoenix Mercury guard continued. “… This offseason I think is about to be amazing. I think it’s going to be challenging both physically and mentally, but I’m here for it.”
Cunningham is working with renowned basketball skills trainer Drew Hanlen, who is also the co-host of her podcast and believes he can help her take the next step.
“We talked about this a lot; you were like, ‘Drew, I know that I’ve been in the league for a long time, but I feel like this is almost a new beginning. I could be a 2.0 version of myself if I can lock in, have a good month or two of training, and then actually add and implement these things to come back a different player next season,'” Hanlen said.
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That last part could prove particularly important for the eight-year pro after a season in which her production fell short of what Indiana had come to expect from one of its key bench players.
Cunningham has primarily come off the bench since arriving in Indiana in 2025, giving the Fever another scoring threat and floor spacer from beyond the arc.
That production was not as consistent this season. Cunningham averaged 7.9 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.2 assists while shooting 46.0%, including 41.9% from 3-point range. Her scoring average was her lowest since 2021.
The season also ended with another playoff loss to the Las Vegas Aces. A’ja Wilson and Co. eliminated Indiana for the second straight year, leaving Cunningham facing questions about both her performance and what comes next.
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Questions have been raised about whether her on-court production has matched the attention surrounding her, particularly given her outspoken personality and viral off-court moments that have often overshadowed her actual play on the floor.
The Athletic’s Candace Buckner also questioned Cunningham’s overall fit with the Fever, arguing that the attention she draws has become a distraction for a franchise trying to keep basketball at the center of its identity.
“Sophie Cunningham might be content gold, but she’s not nearly worth the trouble for a franchise struggling to keep basketball first. It’s as though the Indiana Fever have been reduced to performing in the background while the world’s most contentious Thanksgiving dinner drags on,” Buckner wrote.
Cunningham, though, appears focused on the next version of herself rather than the criticism surrounding the current one.
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Indiana has not completely closed the door on bringing Cunningham back. During her exit interview, Fever GM Amber Cox indicated that the team would be interested in seeing where things go with the veteran guard.
“She had a really productive year, and we’ll see just where things take us,” Cox said.
That leaves Cunningham’s future in Indiana unresolved. For now, though, the veteran appears less concerned about where the next contract comes from and more interested in what she can become before it arrives.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.
