The Indiana Fever have transformed from a struggling franchise into the absolute epicenter of the WNBA, largely due to the gravitational pull of Caitlin Clark. As arguably the most popular female athlete in American right now, Clark entered the league with a 2024 Rookie of the Year campaign that felt like a fever dream. However, the 2025 season provided a sobering reality check as injuries limited her to just 13 appearances, preventing her from finding a rhythm with more than five consecutive games played.
Despite their superstar being sidelined for much of the year, the Fever showed remarkable depth, putting together their most successful season since their 2015 Finals run. While they ultimately fell in a hard-fought five-game series to the eventual 2025 champions Las Vegas Aces, the core of Clark, Aliyah Boston, Kelsey Mitchell, and Lexie Hull has fans in Indianapolis convinced that a championship window is officially open.
Cunningham and Clark viral TikTok exchange
While Clark’s injury reduced her on-court minutes last season, it opened the door for another star to emerge in the public consciousness. Sophie Cunningham, who signed a one-year “prove it” deal with Indiana last offseason, saw her popularity skyrocket to unprecedented levels. First known by fans as “Clark’s Bodyguard” for her tenacious defense and willingness to stand up for her teammates, Cunningham landed at No. 7 on the list of most-searched athletes in the U.S. for 2025. This made her the only woman to crack the top ten, mirroring the exact spot Clark held during her breakout 2024.
Unfortunately, Cunningham’s season also ended prematurely due to injury, but as a free agent this winter, she remains the most coveted piece for the Fever’s 2026 puzzle.The chemistry between the two stars appears stronger than ever, as evidenced by a lighthearted social media exchange that has the fanbase buzzing.
After Cunningham posted a TikTok reflecting on her time on the court, Clark wasted no time dropping a comment: “Time to run it back.” Cunningham’s playful response-requiring “cuddles and dinner twice a week” as a condition for her return-went viral instantly. However, the actual signing of a new contract remains in limbo.
Like many stars this offseason, Cunningham is reportedly waiting for the high-stakes negotiations between the players’ union and Commissioner Cathy Engelbert over salary increases to settle before putting pen to paper. This labor dispute threatens to shift the entire structure of the league, and players are holding their ground for a deal that reflects the WNBA’s massive new valuation.
Caitlin Clark targets her highly anticipated 2026 comeback
As the 2026 season slowly approaches, the focus in Indiana is squarely on getting the their star back to 100% health. Clark’s decision to skip the second season of the Unrivaled league was a strategic one; she is entirely focused on a full WNBA comeback and avoiding the nagging issues that derailed her sophomore year.
Fans are eager to see if she can recapture the magic of her historic rookie season, where she didn’t just play well, she broke the game. In 2024, she shattered the single-season assist record with 337 and set the single-game mark with 19 dimes, all while becoming the first rookie in league history to record a triple-double among many other first year records.
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