Fever vet gets brutally honest about being the WNBA's most hated team

The Indiana Fever have endured their fair share of drama this season, but Thursday night’s embarrassing loss to the Los Angeles Sparks has the potential to serve as the tipping point.

Fresh off an 85-75 collapse to the now 5-11 Sparks, a game in which they blew a 10-point fourth-quarter lead, the Fever have now dropped three of their last four.

They did it without Caitlin Clark on Thursday, they've seen DeWanna Bonner abruptly leave the team, and endured relentless scrutiny as the most talked-about team in the WNBA.

Fever guard Sophie Cunningham didn't sugarcoat things after the loss on Thursday night. She offered a brutally honest window into the team's one-against-all mindset when speaking to reporters after the game.

"We are circled on everybody's schedule. No one like us. Everyone in our locker room, thats the only type of people that we have that we can lean on."

- Sophie Cunningham

Sophie Cunningham knows the Fever are the WNBA's public enemy No. 1

Cunningham signed with Indiana this past offseason after spending six years with the Phoenix Mercury. The veteran wing brought toughness, leadership, and a fiery edge to a young Fever team trying to establish its identity.

While her scoring and minutes have dipped compared to her days in Phoenix, Cunningham has still made an obvious impact coming off the bench. She’s become Indiana’s emotional spark plug, often being tasked with energizing the team with her defensive intensity and hustle.

That intensity made headlines earlier this month when Cunningham went viral for a scuffle with Connecticut Sun guard Jacy Sheldon. After Sheldon appeared to poke Clark in the eye, Cunningham immediately retaliated by grabbing and shoving her to the ground.

READ MORE: Caitlin Clark's injury threatens to doom an incredible guard matchup

The moment earned her an ejection, but also a wave of admiration online. Cunningham’s jersey sales spiked, her social media following exploded, and she quickly garnered a reputation as the Fever’s enforcer.

Cunningham's energy and overall attitude matter for a team under the microscope like the Fever. The moment Clark was drafted, Indiana became the most talked-about franchise in the league. They sell out arenas, dominate headlines, and draw the ire of opposing fan bases on a nightly basis.

With Clark sidelined due to injury again, the spotlight hasn’t really dimmed. If anything, it’s only exposed how much pressure this group is under. As Cunningham made clear, the only ones they can rely on right now are the ones in their locker room.

If the Fever are going to be the league’s villains, Cunningham seems ready to wear the cape.

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