Making the playoffs without Caitlin Clark was already a tough assignment; now, the Fever may have to do it without another star player.
A hard-fought battle between rivals on Sunday included a scary moment when Connecticut Sun guard Bria Hartley slammed into the knee of Fever star Sophie Cunningham as she played defense beneath the basket.
Cunningham collapsed to the floor and cried out in pain before the medical staff removed her to the locker room.
Cunningham had to be helped to her feet and required assistance leaving the floor. The Fever are already without star guard Caitlin Clark, who is nursing a quad injury that has kept her out for the last month and threatens to keep her out for the remainder of the season.
Cunningham has emerged both as a force on the court and as a leader in Clark’s absence, which has kept the Fever very alive in the playoff hunt. Though if the injury to Cunningham is in any way serious, it’s unlikely the Fever will be able to recover.
Fever head coach Stephanie White did not mince words when reporters asked her about her reaction to Cunningham’s injury.
“Holy crap,” White answered. “Especially the way that she fell and how she was holding herself and how much pain she was in, at the time it’s like, ‘crap.’”
The Fever managed to defeat the Sun, 99-93, and currently ranks seventh in the league. An MRI for Cunningham has been scheduled for Monday.
