Sophie Cunningham has never been shy about embracing hard work, but even she was taken aback by how differently some of the NBA’s biggest stars manage their bodies over the course of a season.
During a recent episode of “No Hesitation,” Cunningham’s co-host Drew Hanlen explained that elite NBA players can enter a season already knowing which games they are likely to miss for rest.
“There’s already scheduled rest days for players,” Hanlen said. “Before the season starts, they already know a couple games that they’re sitting out, because they’re trying to manage their load.”
The revelation immediately caught Cunningham’s attention. “I know you’re going to say it’s smart, because the end goal is to get the championship, but like, is that fair?” she asked.
Her reaction was not simply about NBA privilege. It came during a broader discussion about how much strain WNBA players absorb late in the season, particularly as the Indiana Fever push toward the playoffs.
Are two-hour practices still necessary?
Cunningham used the conversation to explain some of her own frustration with Indiana’s current workload. She made clear that she enjoys practice and values the preparation, but questioned whether the same work could be completed in less time.
“I truly love to practice, I love working hard and I love what we do in practice,” Cunningham said. “I just think, for me, it’s the time. Why can’t we do that in 1:20 or 1:30? Why does it have to be two hours?”
Cunningham also went out of her way to defend Fever coach Stephanie White.
“That has to be our coach’s mentality because holy s**t,” she said. “Like, I love her to death, trust me. I like to think we are prepared, in shape, in rhythm, and our chemistry is great right now.
“There’s something to be said of like load management, because as a player, you also want to feel healthy and refreshed and ready to go when it matters,” Cunningham added. “I think that’s what I’m struggling with, truthfully.”
NBA and WNBA schedules create different pressures
The comparison between leagues isn’t perfect. NBA players face an 82-game regular season, and veterans such as James and Curry have long careers and heavy postseason mileage to manage.
WNBA players compete in a 44-game season, but the calendar is more compressed and often overlaps with international basketball commitments. That creates a different kind of wear.
Indiana has also dealt with injury concerns in recent seasons, which makes the subject especially sensitive as the Fever fight for playoff positioning.
Hanlen’s explanation simply highlighted how much more formalized rest can be at the NBA level.
Cunningham’s reaction, though, exposed the larger issue she is wrestling with in how to balance conditioning, rhythm and preparation without arriving at the postseason already worn down.