After the filtration of an internal graph of the organization that seems to reveal the headline of the team for the inaugural night, social networks exploded, and not only because of the talent accumulated in that template: Caitlin Clark, Kelsey Mitchell, Dewanna Bonner, Natasha Howard, Aaliyah Boston.
They are two winners of the rookie award of the year, three players with maximum contracts and sufficient power to rival the US team. It is a budding superequipo.
But buried in the brightness of that head of five players there is a name that shines for their absence:Sophie Cunningham .
For the first time since his arrival in Indiana, noIt is expected that the fierce front that built her brand with determination, versatility and leadership will be. The announcement surprised many. But what remained further surprised:Sophie Cunningham broke his silence and accepted the role of substitute with an answer that could have consolidated it as the most valuable star of the team.
“Don’t come here to be the center of attention. I came to win,” Cunningham told the press. “This team is made to do something big, and I am totally committed, wherever they need me.”
Let’s take a close look at the projected initial quintet:
Caitlin Clark, the transcendental rookie who broke records at the university and now brings her amazing reach and vision to professionals.
Kelsey Mitchell, one of the most explosive scoring bases in the League, known for its speed and shots creation.
Dewanna Bonner, a ninseed nightmare of a ninety -meter with playoff pedigree and elite skills in both directions.
Natasha Howard, a defensive power that thrives in the transition and alters everything on the court.
Aaliyah Boston, rookie from 2023 and a dominant force in painting.
This unit combines youth and experience, fineness and power. It is a balanced attack capable of scaresing the rivals of the court, and Cunningham does not make up to see it from the bank. She is excited.
“I think we are going to be a phenomenal group,” said Cunningham. “And when they call me, I will be ready to contribute what this team needs.”
This is what makes this story so explosive:Cunningham could start at almost any other WNBA template.He has demonstrated his contribution to the playoffs. You can defend in multiple positions. It is an accurate shooter. But in Indiana, he is adopting the role of sixth woman, andThat mentality could be the secret ingredient that elevates this dangerous to dominant team.
“She can change the rhythm,” said an assistant coach of the Faver. “He plays with great intensity. It is a good connection. And he is not here to inflate statistics, he is here to win.”
And it’s not alone. Next to her on the bench areLexie Hull, who discreetly led the WNBA in triples last season, andBrianna Turner, the little known blocker and protector of the ring that brings strength and thrust to the second unit.
It is alsoSydney Colson, the veteran base that could be the best presence in the league costumes and a true defensive disaster with experience in championships. Together, these alternate players not only maintain advantages, but expand them.
While Cunningham adapts to a new role, the league should pay attention to a growing storm on the court: chemistry betweenCaitlin Clark y Aaliyah Boston .
In just a few months of preseason, according to internal sources, the duo already demonstratesExceptional synchronization, with the precise passes of Clark synchronized perfectly with the foot game and the definition of Boston. The blockages and continuation are clear. The game between two players is practically indefensible. And with Clark in constant movement without ball – by Steph Curry’s style – the defenses are destroyed before they have time to react.
“They are building a legacy that could be the best of all time,” said coach Stephanie White. “If we think of the base-poster duplicates that define times, we believe we are building one.”
Sophie Cunningham’s transfer to bank is not a decrease. It is a strategic improvement for one of themore versatile, dynamic and defensive reserve rolesof the League.
“You can defend triples and four, open the court, destroy the boards and provide a hardness that cannot be taught,” said a Fever analyst. “You put it in the game, and the tone changes.”
And most importantly,It is not in a bad mood. He is leading, silently, with professionalism and with a team mentality that is being spread throughout the costumes.
“I went from playing with Diana [Taura] to now join Caitlin [Clark], and that transition is not about step back. It’s about boosting others,” he explained. “I am here to fight, lead and win.”
Most WNBA teams are lucky to have one or two reliable players in the bank. Indiana? They have oneSecond unit that could start and win games against several teams.Faver can play big. They can play small. They can accelerate or decelerate. Its adaptability is unmatched.
“This team does not substitutions to survive,” said a rival coach anonymously. “They make substitutions to kill you in waves.”
Caitlin Clark will play most of the minutes, but alignments with Colson on line one and Clark playing without ball are already being tested. Hull provides perimeter defense. Turner brings inner claw. Cunningham offers versatility in alignment. Rotations do not reduce intensity. They reflectThe energy of the headlines, and sometimes surpass it.
A detail that caused surprise: the absence ofThe topic of fagbenleof the protected template for the next WNBA expansion draft. Despite being a starter in the Faver campaign for the playoffs last season and participating in the team’s first training, she was unprotected in favor of Dewanna Dantas.
The movement baffled many, but experts believe that it is part of a long -term strategic change, focused on the flexibility of alignment and the possibility of new combinations as the season progresses. They are not surprised if the FAVER directive is planning another movement.
The Indiana Fover were one of the worst teams in the league just two seasons ago. Today, they represent a deep, dangerous and potential threat to the championship. And theSophie Cunningham reaction, prioritizing the team against a reduction in its role, could be one of the main reasons.
This is not just a reconstruction. It is a rebirth.
And when the confetti falls in September, they are not surprised if Cunningham is there in the middle, with dirty hands, the knees bruised and a big smile, not because she started the game, but becauseHe helped finish it.
