Sophie Cunningham’s year with the Indiana Fever has come to an abrupt end. The guard went down in Sunday’s 99-93 win over the Connecticut Sun after Bria Hartley landed on her leg during a scramble, tearing her right MCL. The injury shuts the door on the rest of her season.
Instead of dwelling on it, Cunningham is keeping herself busy in other ways. She recently leaned more into her podcast, Show Me Something, which she co-hosts with West Wilson. On the latest episode, the pair laughed about a clip that’s been making the rounds online — a Justin Bieber lookalike hitting the stage at a Las Vegas nightclub.
“I was just about to say, I think he’s a little thicker though. And I think if you’re a Justin Bieber fan, you notice that. But I think, good for him. I say, no, fine. Good for him, man,” Cunningham joked.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cuyUcmkpU0&pp=ygUfc29waGllIGN1bm5pbmdoYW0ganVzdGluIGJpZWJlcg%3D%3D
She didn’t hide her fandom either, admitting she’d “definitely” grab a ticket if Bieber were to perform in Indianapolis.
The impersonator turned out to be Dylan Desclos, who reportedly fooled the venue with an advance team before belting out Bieber’s Sorry. According to On Air with Ryan Seacrest, The Wynn wasn’t amused — Desclos and his crew were tossed out and slapped with a lifetime ban.
“I was just in the wrong spot at the wrong time”: Sophie Cunningham clears the air on alleged attack from Bria Hartley
Cunningham also took the chance to clear the air on her injury, stressing that Hartley had nothing to do with it beyond sheer bad luck.
“I was just in the wrong spot at the wrong time,” she explained. “She fell. There was no way she would go in there and intentionally try to hurt me. … I have nothing but respect for Bria Hartley and all my opponents. My focus now is to recover and come back stronger.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEF5UjIETcA
Her exit is another hurdle for the Fever, who have already lost Sydney Colson (ACL) and Aari McDonald (broken foot) for the year. Rookie star Caitlin Clark is also on the shelf with a groin issue, leaving Indiana shorthanded at the worst possible time.
Before going down, Cunningham had been steady in her role, knocking down shots from deep and holding her own on defense across 13 games. Filling that void while fighting for playoff positioning will be no small task for Stephanie White’s squad.
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Sabel has been working as a field reporter for People’s Television Network (PTV), mainly about the Philippine Basketball Association since 2016 and has been elevated to Executive Producer for sports in 2022. Aside from being on top of the Philippine sports scene, she is also a running enthusiast. You can also follow her on X at @SabelReyes2 and Instagram at @msabelreyes.
