Indianapolis – The Indiana Fever’s playoff push has taken a significant hit with the announcement that guard Sophie Cunningham will miss the remainder of the 2025 WNBA season due to a knee injury sustained during Sunday’s game against the Connecticut Sun.
Cunningham Suffers Season-Ending Injury
Cunningham sustained the injury to her right knee during the second quarter of Sunday’s contest at Connecticut, forcing her immediate exit from what would become an overtime victory for Indiana. The Fever organization confirmed that while the injury is season-ending, Cunningham is expected to make a full recovery.
The loss of Cunningham represents a major setback for a Fever team currently battling for playoff positioning in the competitive WNBA landscape. Her veteran presence and scoring ability had been crucial components of Indiana’s rotation throughout the 2025 campaign.
Fever Add Veteran Experience
In response to Cunningham’s injury, the Fever moved quickly to address their backcourt depth, signing six-year WNBA veteran Shey Peddy to a seven-day hardship contract. The move provides immediate experience and stability as Indiana navigates the final stretch of the regular season.
Peddy, 29, brings extensive WNBA experience to Indianapolis after most recently appearing with the LA Sparks, where she averaged 5.0 points and 2.7 assists over six games on a similar hardship contract. Her career has included stops with the Phoenix Mercury and Washington Mystics since entering the league in 2019.
Proven Production
Throughout her WNBA career, Peddy has established herself as a reliable contributor, averaging 5.9 points and 2.3 assists while shooting an efficient 40.2% from the field. Her defensive prowess was recently recognized during the offseason, where she earned Defensive Player of the Year honors at Athletes Unlimited while also making the All-Defensive Team during the four-week event.
“Shey brings exactly what we need right now – veteran leadership, defensive intensity, and proven ability to contribute immediately,” said a team source familiar with the signing.
Peddy will wear No. 5 for the Fever and is expected to be available for the team’s upcoming games as they continue their playoff pursuit.
Lambert’s Brief WNBA Stint Ends
In a corresponding roster move, the Fever released guard Kyra Lambert, whose seven-day hardship contract has concluded. Lambert made her WNBA debut during Sunday’s overtime victory at Connecticut, appearing in the closing moments of the game in what proved to be her lone professional appearance.
The brief stint represents the culmination of Lambert’s basketball journey, having earned the opportunity to compete at the sport’s highest level, even if only temporarily.
Playoff Implications
The roster moves come at a critical juncture for the Fever, who are positioning themselves for a potential playoff berth in what has been a highly competitive 2025 WNBA season. Cunningham’s absence will require other players to step up and fill the scoring and leadership void left by the veteran guard.
Peddy’s addition provides immediate depth and experience, qualities that become increasingly valuable as teams navigate the pressure-packed final weeks of the regular season. Her defensive acumen, recognized at the highest levels of women’s basketball, could prove particularly valuable for a Fever team looking to solidify their playoff positioning.
Looking Forward
As the Fever adapt to life without Cunningham, the organization’s quick response in securing Peddy’s services demonstrates their commitment to maintaining competitive depth. The veteran guard’s proven track record and recent recognition as a top defensive player suggest she could provide immediate impact for Indiana’s playoff aspirations.
The team will need to rally around their remaining core players while integrating Peddy into their rotation seamlessly. With playoff races tightening across the WNBA, every game becomes crucial, making roster stability and veteran leadership increasingly important.
Thoughts
The WNBA has done a horrible job of protecting and promoting their stars that have made people tune in. The league has become a cesspool of uneducated employees, poor talent and racist players. While the league should be supporting players like Caitlin Clark and Sophie Cunningham, they instead promote dirty players, players who can’t shoot, loud mouthes with no game and cater to the lowest percentage of people on the planet. Without Caitlin Clark, Sophie Cunningham, Paige Bueckers, and Aliyah Boston. The league will fail, the only reason the league even is still in existence was the play of Clark who got businesses and basketball fans to give the bankrupt league a chance. The league owes over $42 Billion dollars in debt, it has nobody players demanding the same salary as Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and other Mega Stars from the men’s game while doing less work and having less skill level. The Fever will be in trouble with out their dynamic duo and will likely exit the playoffs quickly without them if they can even make the playoffs now. What happened to Cunningham should have resulted in criminal charges as it has been done in the men’s sports world.
The Fever’s ability to overcome Cunningham’s absence may well determine their postseason fate as the 2025 WNBA regular season enters its final phase.
For continued coverage of WNBA news and Indiana Fever updates, follow Bad Dawg Sports for breaking news and in-depth analysis.
Discover more from Bad Dawg Sports - Global Sports Coverage & Analysis
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
