When you draft a generational talent, the entire dynamic of the organization changes overnight. For the Indiana Fever, this has precisely been the case since 2024 after bringing in Caitlin Clark. That positive spike is not just limited to TV ratings, fan attendance, or merchandise; it also affects internal decision-making. Interestingly, though, Clark’s teammate recently revealed that she deserves a say in the Fever boardroom.

“I do think basketball allows individual players to like propel a team more so than one good player on a football team does. Whereas like no matter where like a healthy Caitlin or like a healthy LeBron, wherever they go, that team will probably be above 500,” West Wilson said on the Show Me Something pod.

Sophie Cunningham agreed with her co-host’s thought without any hesitation. Clark’s Fever teammate then said, “Yes, but I think the reason behind that is because those type of athletes, they get to come into an organization, and they have the green light and they can do whatever they want, where that is very rare, to get drafted and be able to control the whole system.”

When you have one of the, if not the biggest, needle-movers in the sport, they are bound to have some power to call the shots. And when the player is as competitive as Caitlin Clark or LeBron James, rest assured, any decision will only be made with the intention of winning. Now, the Akron Hammer is in a tricky phase because he’s at the fag end of his career, but back in his heyday, we knew that it was him running the organization, be it in Cleveland or LA.

Luka Doncic, brought in as the future central figure, has taken to it kindly because the Akron Hammer demands that kind of respect. Similarly, you see the Fever culture. Kelsey Mitchell has never publicly revolted against Caitlin Clark. In fact, the two stars have the greatest respect for one another. In the same podcast episode, Cunningham revealed that they “elevate each other.”

However, the Indiana Fever now find themselves in a complicated situation. As things stand, they need to re-sign most of the roster, including some of the most essential pieces…

Is Caitlin Clark’s ‘protector’ going to be back with the Indiana Fever next season?

As things stand, the Indiana Fever only has three players for next season. Indeed, free agency cannot commence until the CBA is finalized, but that has not stopped fans from speculating about whether one of the most popular players, both on and off the court, will return to Indy or not. We’re referring to Sophie Cunningham, who’s an unrestricted free agent.

While the Indiana Fever GM, Amber Cox, has reportedly made it clear that the priority for the offseason is bringing back Kelsey Mitchell (and rightly so), Sophie Cunningham’s name will not be far below on the list.

If we are to guess, the pecking order would be Kelsey Mitchell, Lexie Hull, and then Sophie Cunningham. Bringing her back is not just crucial for the team’s defensive and shooting needs; it is also essential for their locker room bond, also known as Fever Culture.

“I’m definitely going to be entertaining other teams, other offers. But my hope is, you know, I’ve had a great time here, and I would like to continue that, but I also think with the new CBA, there’s a lot on the line. And so, um, I might be blonde, but I can’t just not look at other opportunities,” Cunningham recently said regarding her future with the Fever side.

She is one of the few players who not only has that ‘dawg-mentality’, but she is not afraid to call out any lack of effort or commitment in the locker room. Take any previous champion in the league’s history, and you’ll always find someone like Cunningham on the roster. Even the defending champions, the Aces, needed a reality check from their MVP, A’ja Wilson.

However, as stated above, the league is currently in a rare and complicated situation. Napheesa Collier’s recent revelations about Cathy Engelbert only stirred up even more chaos in the league. Ultimately, everything will be determined by how the CBA negotiations pan out. Till then, all we can do is wait.