In her first season with the Indiana Fever, Sophie Cunningham established herself as Caitlin Clark's 'enforcer', much to the delight of fans. However, year two with the franchise may not be as sweet with the rise of the talented Raven Johnson. The rookie has already provided a level of defensive stability that her teammates don't bring to the floor. While the Fever will benefit from this mould of player, Cunningham could see reduced minutes as Johnson is trusted with a bigger role in the rotation.
Before suffering a season-ending MCL tear in her right knee, Cunningham was having an impressive debut campaign with the Indiana Fever. The 29-year-old averaged 8.6 points and 3.5 rebounds, while shooting a career-high 43.2% from deep. Cunningham appeared to be the perfect player to complement an offense shaped around Caitlin Clark. Her efficiency from three-point range when Indiana's superstar would kick the ball out to her was essential to the team's blueprint.
With Caitlin Clark aiming to avoid the injuries that limited her to 13 games in 2025, Kelsey Mitchell locked in as a starter, and Lexie Hull cementing her role on the team, Sophie Cunningham will need to show head coach Stephanie White she can contribute on both ends. With minutes already scarce, Raven Johnson’s defensive impact could push her further down the rotation.
Raven Johnson's defense is too good to ignore
The Indiana Fever will be in a championship window as long as Caitlin Clark remains on this roster. Her lofty ambitions and winning mentality will not allow the franchise to deviate from this fact. Offensively, Indiana's roster has enough weapons to devastate any team -- defense is another matter entirely. Outside of Aaliyah Boston and Lexie Hull, it is hard to name another renowned defensive presence who truly makes a meaningful impact, and unfortunately, Cunningham falls under the bracket.
In comparison, Raven Johnson proved throughout her time with South Carolina in the NCAA and already in her extremely short professional career that she is an exceptional defender. Johnson has already totalled six steals and two blocks over two preseason games. What the numbers do not show is her relentless work ethic when the opposition is in possession, stalling counter-attacks and mismatches, which alleviates pressure on her teammates.
While she is not as renowned for her scoring ability, Johnson has showcased her playmaking prowess when the ball is in her hands, averaging 6.5 assists and dishing out eight for her teammates during the Fever's convincing 109-91 victory over the New York Liberty on her professional debut.
Caitlin Clark has already stated that she wishes to have a larger role off-the-ball this campaign and allow other guards to dictate offensive proceedings. Whether this would truly benefit the Fever is debatable, but it would require a player like Raven Johnson to be on the floor for extended stretches. Again, Sophie Cunningham's career average of 1.4 assists per game suggests she will hold a less prominent role in the rotation than her younger colleague.
Sophie Cunningham is a fan favorite in Indiana; however, her comparatively weaker defense and playmaking could lead to reduced minutes, potentially pushing her into a bench role in favour of Raven Johnson.
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