Last week, DeWanna Bonner stayed calm and composed despite a hostile welcome in Indiana, where boos and “quitter” chants greeted her arrival. But back on her home court in Phoenix, that calm gave way to fire. The game was full of physicality and trash talk, with Bonner vocally challenging her former teammates. Sophie Cunningham, equally fiery, answered back with five three-pointers and relentless defense. Neither player showed any signs of backing down.

After her “I also think it’s okay to be professional about it and send a text to your teammates,” remark about Bonner’s exit, the two clashed in the third quarter. With the Mercury up 68-46, Cunningham was driving the ball to the basket when Bonner swiped it away. The 6’1″ guard immediately tried to snatch it back, grabbing Bonner’s arm in the frenzy. It was just the start. 

Cunningham was hit with a foul and then could be seen jawing with Bonner and Mercury guard Satou Sabally as officials took a closer look for a possible clear-path violation. Damiris Dantas had to step in to pull Cunningham away. The tension on the court was palpable enough to invite former ESPN host Rachel DeMita with her take on the issue:

“Like it was an intentional foul on her part. They called it a clear path. I think that’s a fair assessment of a foul because DB would have been going the other way. Sophie was not trying to hurt her. She was just, it seemed like to me, intentionally trying to foul her to stop the play,” she remarked on Courtside Club podcast. 

Sophie Cunningham and DeWanna Bonner share a long history with the Phoenix Mercury. Cunningham entered the league in 2019 as a rookie, while Bonner was a seasoned veteran in what became her final season with Phoenix before signing with the Connecticut Sun. Cunningham played six seasons with the Mercury, overlapping briefly with Bonner and building her role on the team during and after Bonner’s departure. Even in her podcast, she did have some good words for her ‘vet in Phoenix’.

“I like DB,” Cunningham said, “DB was one of my vets when I was in Phoenix, and then we gathered here in Indiana. It was kind of a surprise that she was signed to Indiana anyway. We’ll take her in a heartbeat. She’s a Hall-of-Famer, she’s a hell of a basketball player, can score from anywhere on the court.”

However, things have changed since, and both are fierce competitors loyal to their current teams. Even Bonner admitted, “emotions are kinda high” after the game, something DeMita sensed and agreed to on her podcast: “But that was another moment… emotions were high the entire night.”  

It’s clear there won’t be much love between the vet and the Fever fandom anytime soon, but the teams have got bigger things to worry about.

Will Sophie Cunningham be tried at point guard amid Fever’s injury crisis?

Sophie Cunningham was a lone bright spot in Indiana Fever’s heavy loss, finishing with a team-high 18 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists. The defeat was compounded by season-ending injuries to both of the Fever’s healthy point guards: Sydney Colson tore her ACL early in the game, and Aari McDonald suffered a broken bone in the fourth quarter. With Caitlin Clark still sidelined by a groin injury, the team is currently without a true point guard.

Cunningham’s form, combined with Kelsey Mitchell’s scoring prowess, positions her as a strong candidate to take on point guard duties. Coach Stephanie had already tested Cunningham in this role during the preseason when Clark was out, where Cunningham scored a team-high 21 points and contributed 2 assists while partly running the offense. Despite this, the Fever are likely to explore free agent options to add a dedicated point guard, preventing too much burden on Cunningham and others.

Among potential signees, names like Odyssey Sims, Chennedy Carter, Zia Cooke, and Deja Kelly have been discussed by fans and analysts. Cunningham’s strengths as a sharpshooter and experience could allow her to run forward-initiated plays, sharing playmaking duties with players such as Aliyah Boston and Mitchell. As the playoffs approach, the team will rely heavily on the veteran presence and leadership of Cunningham and Mitchell to steady the roster.