Whenever there’s something about the W’s “Ponytail Pete,” hot takes are inevitable—and Skip Bayless is always at the top of the list. So, when Caitlin Clark’s comeback from her injury became highly anticipated, Bayless couldn’t help but dive right into the conversation with his unique yet controversial take. And that’s when he claimed the W is “lying about her injury,” writing on X, “Maybe Caitlin Clark has taken a couple of “injury” breaks just because she needed a mental break from all the jealousy and resentment and bullying and cheap shots”. But is she?

Not really, if you ask Sophie Cunningham. As CC’s guardian angel, after hearing all these claims, she couldn’t help but respond—and what’s better than her very own podcast show? So, during the August 19 episode of Show Me Something, she began by calling Bayless’ take “bull—-,” and then shared, “When you’re an elite-level player, you not being able to play is the hardest part. Mentally, physically, emotionally. You know what I mean? Like, it’s not playing. It’s when you’re playing is like when you’re a part of it. like you’re built for that. So when people have say stuff like that, I’m just like just shut up”.

Injuries have been a painful theme for the Fever this season, and Caitlin Clark has felt that sting deeply. As an elite-level player on a limited roster, being sidelined while the team inches closer to a playoff berth is especially devastating. Sophie Cunningham understands that frustration better than anyone – last year she battled a “dead collarbone” with the Phoenix Mercury, and now she’s ruled out for the rest of this season after tearing her MCL in the August 18 win over the Sun. With Clark limited to just 13 appearances in the Fever’s 35 games, the injury struggles are a shared reality for the two teammates. But while fans continue to speculate about Clark’s status, Cunningham has made it clear she doesn’t buy into theories – because, as she put it, no one really knows.

“Everyone keeps asking, like, you know, I’m like, literally she doesn’t even know. Like, our… it’s just like a day-by-day legit type of a thing. So yeah, she’s close,” Cunningham said earlier in the podcast, and that’s exactly what Stephanie White has been echoing since July 15, when CC went out after her right groin injury. But while weeks have passed, there’s still no update on Indiana’s Fever sensation’s injury. But the delay’s got a reason too.

“You also have to remember, like, she could be playing if it wasn’t in the WNBA right now. But at this level, like, how deep and how good people are nowadays in our league—which is the best it’s ever been—you can’t just be good. You have to be on top of your game. So just trying to get her back in game shape I think is what they’re trying to do,” Sophie reasoned.

Well, yes, that’s right. Remember CC during the July 15 game? She went 1-for-7 on three-point attempts, part of her 6-for-26 from downtown in the last four games she played. While she did take rest after her left groin injury, it seems it wasn’t enough to heal her muscles—and that’s why her cold shooting happened. And that’s not just an assumption, as Lisa Leslie, who herself underwent a similar injury back in 2006, explained, long-range shooting is the most affected when the groin is injured.

So, this time, White needs to be extra sure about when to play her offensive ace. As White shared, “Every competitor wants to play, but at the same time, doing it right away and making sure after we’ve had a couple of setbacks that we’re prioritizing her long-term health and wellness is the most important thing.” And yes, long-term health is the most important, as groin injuries last longer—as for Leslie, the pain still lingers when she plays tennis. But that’s not the only concern Indiana Fever’s got, though.

The Fever must keep pushing through their roster woes.

If there’s a synonym for “struggles” in the WNBA, it might just be the Fever. Since the start of the 2025 season, Indy’s injury list has only grown longer. Caitlin Clark, sidelined with her third muscle injury of the year and yet to return, has been the biggest blow. Then Sydney Colson and Aari McDonald were also ruled out. Many assumed that a limited roster would derail the team’s playoff hopes—yet the Fever have defied expectations, sitting third in the Eastern Conference with a 19–16 record. Still, even with Kelsey Mitchell’s leadership keeping the group afloat as “the most resilient team,” their battles are far from over.

“We keep signing people, but we’re running out of roster this time because, like, our whole roster is injured,” said Sophie, who’s also gone to a sideline role for the Fever, something CC’s been doing for quite a while as she watches the game from the bench. While the Fever are relying on hardship contracts, as the trade deadline has passed, that too has a limit—these deals are short-term and don’t extend into the postseason. And while the Fever signed Shey Peddy on a seven-day hardship contract after releasing Kyra Lambert, this process can only be repeated three times for the same player.

So now, with 10 players eligible to play—of which Odyssey Sims and Peddy are on hardship contracts—the Fever are anticipating CC’s comeback.