The air in Indiana is starting to feel a little too familiar. The 2025 WNBA season is one no Fever fan would want to relive after injuries repeatedly disrupted the team’s momentum. But with just 11 games played this year, the franchise has ruled out Sophie Cunningham due to a right elbow injury just as things were beginning to settle. That’s where Stephanie White stepped in, urging patience and pointing to the bigger picture ahead of Indiana’s matchup against the Chicago Sky.

“I know it’s been sore for a little while; they’ve been doing a treatment and really trying to get her ready to go,” Stephanie White said in her pre-game media availability. “I think the most important thing for us is … making sure that we’re extremely cautious and we’re thinking about the big picture,” she further added.

While her comments should ease concerns about the severity of the injury, what left many worried was the fact that she has no timetable for a return.

“I don’t have any idea. I think it’s one day at a time,” White added.

However, the most surprising part about this update is that there was no indication about anything being wrong. Take the Fever’s last game for an example; Sophie Cunningham was celebrating one of Indiana’s biggest wins of the season after inbounding the ball to Caitlin Clark for the game-winning three-pointer against Washington. So it remains unclear exactly when the 29-year-old suffered the elbow injury.

But what is worth noting is that Indiana wasted no time in addressing the gap in its rotation. They quickly activated guard Bree Hall on a Player Development contract, giving the former second-round pick another opportunity to contribute at the WNBA level.

“It means the world. I’m so glad to be in this position. And I’ve done a great job preparing myself for this opportunity,” Hall said as per Aaron Ferguson.

While a two-time NCAA national champion, Hall can only appear in 12 games during the season; her activation quickly became a talking point among Fever fans, but probably not for the reasons you are thinking. Some questioned the timing of Cunningham’s injury, while others were surprised to see Hall get the call over rookie Justine Pissott.

Sophie Cunningham’s injury news raises eyebrows

The timing of this injury, to say the least, is weird. Because just two days ago, the Fever guard found herself at the center of one of Indiana’s biggest social media conversations of the season.

After Caitlin Clark’s game-winning three-pointer against the Washington Mystics, Cunningham shared an Instagram post that read, “Didn’t follow the plan … won anyway.”

So what was likely intended as a joke quickly took on a life of its own and reignited speculation about the relationship between the Fever head coach and her players.

At the same time, many expected rookie Justine Pissott to receive the opportunity to play in place of Sophie Cunningham, especially after she appeared to be in line for a potential activation.

However, she was also listed out on the injury report due to a coach’s decision.

Of course, there is no indication that Sophie Cunningham’s injury is connected to the social media controversy. Yet when an injury update arrives just days after a viral post and is followed by an unexpected roster decision, it’s easy to see why Fever fans have been asking questions. For now, though, Indiana’s focus remains on navigating Cunningham’s absence while Hall gets a chance to prove herself at the WNBA level.