Sophie Cunningham was unstoppable against the Toronto Tempo, and by the end of the night, she had given Indiana Fever fans another reason to talk about her.
The veteran guard produced her best offensive performance of the season in Indiana’s 113-91 win at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, knocking down six three-pointers and turning the game into a showcase of confidence.
Sophie Cunningham Discusses Team Travel Logistics and Calls for Improvements
Cunningham finished with a season-high 24 points, six rebounds and two assists while shooting 6-for-7 from beyond the arc.
Yet her shooting was not the only thing that caught attention.
Fans also noticed the celebration she used after hitting from deep, and Cunningham later admitted the move was not entirely original.
The inspiration came from Oklahoma City Thunder star Jalen Williams, one of the NBA’s most exciting young players and a key figure in the Thunder’s rise.
Cunningham gives Jalen Williams his credit
After the game, Cunningham was asked about the celebration, and she had no problem revealing where it came from.
“You know, I don’t know,” Cunningham said. “I think I gotta need a little shoutout to JDub from the Thunder. He was starting it, so I was like, ‘I like that.'”
The admission gave the moment a playful edge, especially because Cunningham has made the celebration part of her own hot streak with the Fever.
Williams has become one of the NBA’s most recognizable young stars, and his influence now appears to have crossed into the WNBA through one of Indiana’s most confident shooters.
Cunningham also joked that the Fever are always looking for fresh ways to react after big shots.
“We’re getting creative with our three celebrations,” she added. “But I gotta make ’em first. So I need to dial in on my shot. We’ll see what happens.”
Fever keep building momentum
Cunningham’s timing could hardly be better for Indiana.
The Fever have won consecutive games and are beginning to look sharper around Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston, with different players stepping forward at important moments.
Cunningham had already delivered a major late-game burst against the Connecticut Sun, scoring 11 points in the final two minutes of an 85-75 win.
Her performance against Toronto showed that was not a one-off.
When Cunningham is making shots at that level, Indiana’s spacing changes and the Fever become far harder to defend.
The celebration may have started with Jalen Williams, but Cunningham is giving it a new stage in Indiana.
If she keeps shooting like this, Fever fans will be seeing it a lot more.