The Indiana Fever wrapped up their 2025 preseason with a 76-81 victory over the Atlanta Dream, but what should have been a confidence-building night for the team turned into a mixed bag of emotions for head coach Stephanie White.
While the Fever ended their preseason unbeaten with a perfect 3-0 record, the final game raised more questions than answers.
This preseason finale was framed as an opportunity for White to test out different rotations, evaluate fringe players, and begin shaping what the final roster would look like before the May 15 WNBA roster cut deadline.
One of the most anticipated changes heading into the game was Sophie Cunningham earning her first start. Cunningham had already impressed in the preseason opener with 21 points and was solidifying her role as a key depth piece.
However, four minutes into the third quarter, concern set in. Indy Star’s Chloe Peterson posted on X: “Cunningham leaves for the locker room at the break. She was walking pretty quickly on her own, but a noticeable limp on her right leg.”
The extent of the injury remains unclear, but any serious setback could impact not only Cunningham‘s immediate availability, but the broader roster decisions ahead for the Fever.
High-performance depth collides with tight roster constraints
Despite the injury scare, Stephanie White remained composed postgame, giving reporters a hopeful update.
“She keeps saying, ‘I’ll be fine.’ So I trust her,” White said of Cunningham. Yet trust doesn’t change the brutal logistics of roster construction in the WNBA.
The Fever currently carry 13 players on the roster. But due to salary cap limitations, even 12 might be unfeasible. Some teams, including Indiana, may be forced to enter the season with just 11 active players – a reflection of the harsh realities under the current WNBA collective bargaining agreement.
While White described cutting players as “the worst part of the job” following the release of Bree Hall, the final round of decisions may prove even tougher. Rookies Makayla Timpson and Jaelyn Brown are making strong cases to stay, both bringing unique skillsets to the floor.
“She doesn’t try to force things, she allows the game to come to her. She plays with great pace as a young player and often times you’ll see young players playing too fast. She’s poised and ready when her name’s called,” White said of Timpson.
“JB is dynamic. She’s athletic. She has a great ability to get downhill. She and Kelsey are really deadly in that mid-range. She’s a great rebounding guard. So it’s a tough job to have to compare those two.”
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