Sophie Cunningham has been sidelined for the rest of the 2025 WNBA season after suffering a torn MCL in her right knee.

Despite being out, she hasn’t held back in speaking her mind — especially after Indiana’s shocking Game 3 win over the Atlanta Dream to reach the semifinals for the first time since 2015.

In a recent appearance on her podcast Show Me Something, Cunningham reflected honestly on her expectations: when asked if she ever thought they’d make the semis, her answer was flat‑out, “Dude, no.”

 She said that she believes the rest of the league might be “so mad that we won,” pointing out that according to conventional wisdom, the Fever were “literally not supposed to be here at all.”

She admitted that in Game 3, she was nervous, even sweating through it, despite being unable to play. But she also expressed pride in the resilience shown by the team, given how many key players have been out due to injury (Caitlin Clark, Sydney Colson, Aari McDonald, Chloe Bibby, plus her own absence). She emphasized that they’ve had to punch above their weight, and that this win felt vindicating — not just for results, but for belief.

Cunningham has also made it clear earlier in the postseason that she thought the Dream was the best first-round matchup for Indiana. She cited the combination of playoff experience, the Fever’s roster make‑up (for example, Kelsey Mitchell, Aliyah Boston) and contrasting levels of experience among Dream players, as reasons why they matched up well.

Turning to A’ja Wilson and the Las Vegas Aces, Indiana’s next opponent: Wilson is not just coming in hot — she is one of the marquee figures in the current WNBA landscape. She’s among the MVP finalists, having had another stellar season.

 Over the year, the Aces dealt with some early setbacks, including having to find cohesion after losing key assistants and adjusting to different roster roles, but they’ve steadily improved.

One of Wilson’s strengths is her ability to take over games in the paint — scoring, rebounding, and controlling the post. She has shown up in big moments.

Most recently, she produced a playoff career‑high 38 points in a tight win over the Seattle Storm, including clutch moments late, which helped seal a berth in the semifinals. Her efficiency under pressure, decision making down the stretch, and her ability to dominate both ends of the floor make her a major challenge for any defense.

Another key part of the Aces story is what they’ve done as a team. Their defense has improved, their rebounding is among the top in the league, and their offensive rating has been strong in recent weeks.

 Their experience in deep playoff runs also gives them leadership and poise. They’ve become a club that expects to win and knows how to grind when things get tight. Wilson’s teammates (Jackie Young, Chelsea Gray, etc.) have also been stepping up in supporting roles.

So what does this matchup look like, and what will Indiana need to do to stand a chance — especially with Cunningham out injured?

First, Indiana will need to continue leaning on the things that carried them through the Dream series: gritty defense, strong rebounding (especially from Aliyah Boston), and making high‑impact plays from unexpected places (role players stepping up).

Temperature of the game, energy, and emotional momentum seem to matter for this Fever group more than ever. Cunningham often talks about belief — that may translate into how they play loose, with confidence, and without fear.

Second, containing Wilson will be huge. Double teams, rotation help, trying to force her into more touches where she has to work hard rather than getting easy buckets. Indiana has to force the Aces to share the scoring load. If Wilson is the only dominant scorer, odds are the Aces win.

Third, shot selection and execution in crucial moments will matter. The Fever have some injury gaps, so they’ll need disciplined offense, few turnovers, smart decision making. When the margin was narrow versus Atlanta, those were the plays that made the difference: hustle, defense, not letting small mistakes turn into big ones.

Finally, Indiana will need to lean heavily on depth and leadership — people like Kelsey Mitchell, Lexie Hull, and others who have been stepping up. Even with Cunningham out, her voice off the court and her presence in the culture seem meaningful; the rest of the squad appears to be absorbing that mindset.

In short, Sophie Cunningham’s reaction underscores how much of an underdog story this is for Indiana. She’s proud, defiant, and really seems to believe they are being overlooked by the league — a sentiment that can become fuel.

A’ja Wilson and Las Vegas are a formidable next test. For the Fever to advance, it won’t be enough to just disrupt; they’ll have to impose themselves in moments with precision, poise, and belief. If they bring that level of fight, this could become one of the more compelling semifinals matchups in recent years.