Being down and out doesn’t have to be a mood. In this story, Sophie Cunningham is finding ways to stay upbeat despite another tough injury blow. The Phoenix Mercury guard recently shared a playful Instagram story showing off her new knee brace, asking fans to help her name it.
“What should we name her?” Sophie Cunningham wrote, keeping the tone light as she recovers from her MCL injury.
The timing hasn’t been kind for Cunningham. She was building momentum before the setback and had earned praise for her effort and toughness on the floor. The Mercury are also playing with fewer cards with the stack of injuries to add on top of Sophie Cunningham. Looking up and looking forward is a head space that encourages healing.
To the ordinary, injuries are rare. And yet the recovery is steep. But for Sophie Cunningham, there is reward in a strong resolve. Recovery itself is a process, but taking each step with a little sprinkle of lightheartedness can come a long way. And the fans themselves reciprocated the mood, flooding her post with suggestions, with many calling her humor a refreshing break from what has been a frustrating season for the team.
For Mercury supporters, seeing Sophie Cunningham keep her head up is encouraging. One fan summed it up perfectly on social media: “We’ll miss her hustle, but leave it to Sophie to turn a brace into a storyline.”
Sophie Cunningham Clears the Air, Says Bria Hartley Not to Blame for Injury
Sophie Cunningham made sure to defend Bria Hartley after some fans suggested the Mercury guard’s injury was caused by a reckless play. Cunningham dismissed those claims, saying her friend was not at fault.
“I know Bria and I’m actually really good friends with Bria,” Sophie Cunningham said. “(There) was no ill intent. I think it was a basketball play. I was in the wrong spot at the wrong time. She fell. There’s no way she’d go in there and try to hurt.”
She doubled down on her support, even revealing how she corrected her own mom’s tweet about the play.
“I’ve got nothing but love for Bria. I even, like, told my mom because she tweeted something, ‘No, Mom, like I get, but I promise you Bria and I are super cool and she’d never try to hurt me.’”
The response shows why Sophie Cunningham remains respected by her teammates and fans. She’s not only keeping her spirits up but also standing up for others, which says a lot about her character.
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Dan has been active in sports since 2016 and has worked behind the scenes as a scriptwriter for basketball, volleyball, and other sports. At a time, Dan has also been working as a sports commentator for CBA Pilipinas. During the pandemic, he has also been actively writing betting articles for CashBet and BetNow.
