Sophie Cunningham injury update: Fever guard 'progressing quite quickly' after MCL tear

Sophie Cunningham was one of several players for the Indiana Fever who were injured to finish the season. But, as she enters the offseason, she says her recovery is going very well ahead of her next season in the WNBA.

Cunningham shared an update on the rehab of her torn MCL during her exit interview on Thursday morning. She said she’s doing well since her surgery, with a timeline of being ready by the turn of the calendar still not being soon enough for her.

“Really good,” Cunningham said jokingly. “Oh, hell yeah, man. On a real note, I’m feeling really good. I definitely have turned a corner in my rehab. Feeling really good.

“I’ll be able to, you know, really kind of get going in January. It could have been a lot worse, so I’m thankful that it was just my MCL. But, my rehab? I just had my doctor’s appointment and I’m progressing quite quickly, so I’m really happy about that. But I’m so bad at being patient, so I’m ready to kind of get going.”

Cunningham said she’s also in a good place mentally despite suffering a season-ending injury in mid-August. A lot of that had to do with how many other players on the team were hurt at this point of the season, with Caitlin Clark, Aari McDonald, Chloe Bibby, and Sydney Colson, so she wasn’t by herself in trying to recover over the last month and a half of their campaign.

“Honestly, mentally, I’m doing well too,” Cunningham said. “It is exhausting, you know. You just can’t do anything physically when the games are going on except for encouraging and motivating and feeding confidence into your team. I’m just so proud of us for the continued fight. Honestly, the rehab room has been pretty fun because it’s packed in there, so I’m glad I don’t have to do that alone.”

It remains to be seen where Cunningham will be playing next season in what’ll be her eighth year in the WNBA. She should be available by the time it starts, though, based on where she says her recovery is currently trending entering the offseason.

Cunningham says she will entertain ‘other offers’ in free agency

Cunningham enjoyed playing for the Indiana Fever this season, but she isn’t ruling out signing with a new team in free agency. During her end-of-season exit interview, Cunningham was asked about her future with the Fever.

“I loved being here, and I don’t think that’s news to anybody,” Cunningham said. “I think that just being back in the Midwest and being around girls who you truly do love, I’ve been in the league for seven years, and I’ve never been a part of a team like this. When you’ve been through this type of season together, when you’re invested in each other’s lives outside of basketball, of course, you want to come back.

“I’m definitely going to be entertaining other teams, other offers, but my hope is that I’ve had a great time here, and I would like to continue that. But I think with the new CBA, there’s a lot on the line.”