The 2025 season asked the Indiana Fever to live under a microscope. Every preseason quote, every rotation tweak, every interaction between players seemed to travel instantly across social media. With expectations rising and attention locked in, even small moments had a way of sticking.
Sophie Cunningham stepped into that environment as a newcomer, bringing experience, edge, and personality. Her first season with the Fever was filled with solid contributions and emotional moments, the kind that shape chemistry in a locker room still finding its voice.
Some memories, though, had nothing to do with the scoreboard. Before the regular season even tipped off, a single preseason interview delivered one of the year’s most replayed clips. It was lighthearted, unintentional, and impossible to ignore.
Cunningham went viral after Indiana’s preseason opener against the Washington Mystics, a game where she impressed with 21 points and eight rebounds. While describing the atmosphere around the team, she stumbled over the phrase “breath of fresh air,” accidentally coining “fresh of breath air.” The clip spread fast, and fans ran with it.
“1000% Caitlin. A 1000%… She is a [expletive] starter, and so she would definitely, you know, start some stuff on there.
A running joke that never really ended
Instead of brushing it off, Cunningham leaned in. She joked about it publicly, even using the phrase herself online. That response only made it more memorable, especially to her teammate Caitlin Clark, who quickly joined in.
Clark commented on the original post with playful disbelief, pointing out that Cunningham did not just repeat the phrase once, but doubled down on it. The exchange became an early snapshot of the Fever’s off-court chemistry,.
Months later, the joke resurfaced. As the year wound down, Cunningham shared a personal recap of her season and included the preseason clip among her highlights. Clark reposted it on Instagram with a short caption embracing the phrase yet again, keeping the moment alive.
On the court, Cunningham’s year had substance. She averaged 8.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in her first season with the Indiana Fever, according to WNBA statistics. She also made headlines in June after being ejected for a hard foul against the Connecticut Sun, a moment widely interpreted as standing up for Clark.
Cunningham has openly acknowledged Clark’s playful online presence in past interviews, admitting she would not want her managing her social accounts. That awareness is part of what makes the dynamic work.
As Cunningham enters the offseason as a free agent, her future remains open. The quote, however, has already found its place in Fever lore.
Read the full article here
