Cunningham Points to Playoff Savvy as Fever Prepare for Aces
The short version
- Sophie Cunningham discussed her playoff mindset on her podcast, the "No Hesitation Show."
- She has five playoff appearances and reached the finals in 2021.
- Cunningham shot 41.9% from three this season but slumped late, averaging 3.8 points over the last eight games.
- The Fever lost their finale 86-66 to Minnesota and meet the Las Vegas Aces in round one.
Indiana's veteran guard says postseason basketball rewards detail and experience as the Fever open against defending champion Las Vegas.
Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham said she is eager for the WNBA playoffs to begin, outlining her enthusiasm on Thursday's installment of her podcast, the "No Hesitation Show."
Cunningham described postseason basketball as a completely different challenge and said experience becomes especially valuable at that stage. "Playoffs are a different animal; it's a different type of beast," she said, adding that every possession counts.
She pointed to margins such as shot attempts and free-throw attempts for each side as areas where small details decide outcomes. Careless passes and poor shot selection, she argued, become far more costly in a playoff setting.
Beyond execution, Cunningham said the postseason reveals mental focus and a team's willingness to adjust, while also showing how capable a coaching staff is. "I love the playoffs. I'm a very high IQ player," she said.
Cunningham brings one of the deeper playoff resumes on Indiana's roster, with five postseason appearances and a trip to the finals in 2021. Even if her playing time stays uneven, the source notes she could serve as an important vocal presence on the bench.
Her outside shooting was strong for most of the 2026 campaign, as she hit 41.9% of her three-point attempts overall. A late-season slump lowered her numbers, though: across the final eight games she managed 3.8 points per contest on 32.4% shooting from the field and 24.1% from beyond the arc, with her minutes falling to 17.5 per game.
Before that downturn, Cunningham had averaged 8.8 points per game — fourth on the team behind Kelsey Mitchell, Caitlin Clark and Aliiah Boston — while shooting 48.4% from the field and 45.8% from three.
Indiana closed the regular season with an 86-66 defeat to the Minnesota Lynx on Thursday. That result leaves the Fever with a difficult first-round matchup against the defending champion Las Vegas Aces.
For Indiana to have a chance at the upset, the Fever will need what Cunningham provides on the floor as much as the leadership she offers away from it.
Games to watch
