Apart from the Big Three—Clark, Boston, and Mitchell—the Fever’s newcomers are grabbing the headlines heading into the season. And nobody is more excited to see them than veteran guard Sophie Cunningham.
“I love our rookies too, our rookies are awesome,” she said on the Show Me Something podcast. “We have Raven Johnson. She was the highest draft pick. She is going to be great. Great defensive player, just a very fun, bubbly personality. I truly love her. She’s awesome.”
Cunningham praised Jessica Timmons, the 40th overall pick, for her strength: “JT is strong, can shoot it. Like, really good. Can get to her spots. Pretty seamlessly fit right into the W, which was really nice to see.” She also praised Justine Pissott, the 25th overall pick, describing her as a stretch forward who can shoot the ball with confidence. Cunningham also had warm words for Kayana Traylor and Meg McConnell, both of whom signed training camp contracts.
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Cunningham is excited to see them finally feature in the WNBA, as that is one of the most rewarding parts of the preseason experience. “I do like it (the preseason) because then you get to just see a lot of these rookies in their first debut, get the nerves out of the way. You get to kind of see them shine and see how they compare. I think that the most exciting part is… seeing your teammates’ dreams come true for the first time,” she said.
All three Fever draft picks have already featured in preseason games, with Johnson standing out as the most prominent performer. In her debut against the New York Liberty, she recorded six points on perfect 3-of-3 shooting, alongside three rebounds, eight assists, one steal, and two blocks in 18 minutes played. Pissott also contributed six points, while Timmons added seven points.
Although none of them has a guaranteed starting role in the team yet, the expectation is that they will continue to settle more comfortably into the squad, improve steadily, and eventually grow into important contributors. After all, every contribution is important if Indiana wants to realize its championship ambitions.
Sophie Cunningham reveals excitement to play in front of Fever fans ahead of season opener vs. Dallas Wings
The Fever will kick off the season with a game against the Dallas Wings on May 9 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Beyond the excitement of finally returning to competitive basketball as the regular season begins, playing in front of the Fever fans is something Cunningham looks forward to.
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“Gainbridge baby. I’m excited. Our fans are the freaking best. I’m telling you, like they’re just so damn cool and I’m just excited to be back,” she said to West Wilson on the podcast. “I feel like all of our games back at home or here are special,” she added.
And of course, Fever fans have indeed become something special over the past two seasons. Obviously, that has coincided with Caitlin Clark’s arrival in the league and on the team. They have consistently created one of the most passionate, electric, and record-breaking game-day atmospheres in the WNBA. Naturally, that kind of home support could become a major advantage for Indiana.
Interestingly enough, the Fever’s preseason game against Dallas also took place at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. But unfortunately, Indiana lost that night. Hopefully, they will win the season opener in front of what Sophie hopes will be a packed and energetic home crowd.
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