WNBA standout Sophie Cunningham left the game for a leg injury assessment after showing signs of distress on the court during Sunday’s match between the Indiana Fever and the Connecticut Sun.  

Serving as a key player for the Fever this season, particularly in the absence of Caitlin Clark, Cunningham was positioned under the hoop focusing on defense when an incident occurred involving Sun guard Bria Hartley. 

Hartley attempted to pass by Fever’s Kelsey Mitchell and inadvertently made contact with Cunningham’s lower leg, leaving her on the floor in pain until she was assisted by the team’s medical staff.

As soon as Hartley made contact with Cunningham’s lower right leg, the Fever standout immediately grabs it and falls to the court. 

When cameras focused back on Cunningham during a stoppage in play, she was visibly yelling in pain. The Fever ruled Cunningham out for the rest of the game with a right knee injury. 

Cunningham had already been assessed with a technical foul in Sunday’s game during a tie-up with Leila Lacan.  

WNBA star Sophie Cunningham was taken to the locker room with a leg injury on Sunday

 Connecticut guard Bria Hartley ran into Cunningham’s lower right leg when making a pass

The possible serious injury comes at a time when Cunningham’s popularity has never been higher, after joining a roster and becoming close with Clark. 

Cunningham celebrated her 29th birthday on Saturday, with the Fever in the thick of the WNBA playoff race. 

‘@WNBA maybe you should focus less on fining players for commenting on your poor officiating & more about hiring officials that are able to call a consistent game and protect your athletes. Pathetic. Praying for you. @sophaller,’ Sophie’s older sister, and Missouri teammate, Lindsey Cunningham said on X.

Her first six seasons in the WNBA were arguably the first time since she started ninth grade that was not a focal point of her team, all with the Phoenix Mercury. 

In year No 7, especially during Clark’s lengthy injury absence, that was no longer the case. 

And from the offset she made a vow to the rest of the league: She’ll back Clark no matter what. Or, as she put it, her job is to be Sabrina Carpenter to Clark, the WNBA’s Taylor Swift.

Carpenter opened for Swift on her Eras Tour, and Cunningham explained to the Daily Mail: ‘Taylor Swift, Caitlin Clark, they’re going to do their thing. They’re going to have all the eyes, they’re going to have anything you can ask for.

‘But I just said I’m going to be the Sabrina Carpenter in the corner, being her biggest supporter, doing whatever the team needs… she does a great job of making everyone else around her better. (But) in order to win, it really does take everybody.’

Cunningham celebrated her 29th birthday on Saturday, with the Fever in a tight playoff race

Cunningham has been integral to the Fever this season, especially in Caitlin Clark’s absence

Cunningham added: ‘We’re not taking away from anything that she’s done. We want to help her. We want to all win. And I think, let her be the Taylor Swift and we’ll all be right there supporting.’

Now, both Fever dynamos appear to be on the injured list. 

Without two main cogs, the Fever trailed by as many as 21 against the Sun, but rallied to defeat Connecticut 99-93 in overtime. Mitchell finished the game with 38 points, leading both teams. 

‘KELSEY FREAKIN MITCHELL,’ Cunningham added on X, not commenting on her health. 

‘Battled battled battled. So proud,’ Clark said on X after the victory. 

The Fever improve to 19-16 overall and are off until Friday, giving head coach Stephanie White a few days to assess her roster and contemplate next moves.