Sophie Cunningham and Brianna Turner make new Indiana Fever playing style clearer

That naturally leads to questions about how the team will play. Head coach Stephanie White explained her vision for the team, sharing that she hopes to design a creative system. She wants her players to have the freedom to do what they are capable of within the team’s design.

“I think we can utilize more versatility, utilize certain players in different ways,” White said. “I’m a forward-thinking, outside-the-box kind of coach … They are a high IQ team, so also giving them the freedom to make plays like we want to make plays, don’t run plays.”

While that information from White is revealing, it’s only part of the puzzle being put together about the Indiana Fever for the upcoming season. Some of those pieces will be put together on the court when games start. Other details were revealed by two new Fever players who descended upon Indianapolis this month in Sophie Cunningham and Brianna Turner.

Cunningham, a wing known for her shooting and hustle on the defensive end, can truly fit anywhere. Fever general manager Amber Cox likes her versatility, and she loves that Cunningham can shoot on one end while guarding multiple positions on the other. Shooting was a priority for the Indiana front office this offseason. Bringing spacing and tempo to the table is valuable for any system — her old team, the Phoenix Mercury, was better with Cunningham on the floor than off last season, per pbpstats.

Yet as the 28-year old was describing how she viewed her fit in Indiana’s scheme, it became clear that Indiana’s new style could also mesh well with Cunningham’s strengths.

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“Just to be alongside her and maybe relieve the pressure, being able to shoot and spread the court for her to go do her thing,” Cunningham said of playing with Caitlin Clark in a new scheme. Diana Taurasi took Cunningham under her win early, and now the new Fever wing wants to do the same for Clark — and the Missouri product said she loves White’s offense.

“Getting [DeWanna Bonner] was absolutely huge… I love Natasha Howard. You have Aliyah Boston, you have Kelsey Mitchell. We just have a squad, and our depth is amazing. I’m just excited,” Cunningham added. “When you have a group that can let go of the egos… I think that’s the best type of group, and you’re all willing to do the dirty work. I think that’s what I’m most excited about. That’s my bread and butter right there is outwork your opponents and have fun doing it.”

The Fever worked on their transition principles on day one of training camp last year. They wanted the open floor to be a weapon. But during their 1-8 start, their pace ranked fifth in the WNBA. They weren’t getting enough stops to play in transition as much as they wanted, and their tempo in the halfcourt wasn’t there.

Then, things changed. The Fever won 19 of their last 31 games and had the second-highest pace during that stretch. Once Mitchell and Clark figured out how to play together more effectively, the team took off.

As Cunningham noted, with more up-tempo players and shooters in the mix, the Indiana Fever should be able to replicate that this season. It should be easier for the team to play that way from day one instead of a few weeks into the season, too.

Turner, who projects to be one of Indiana’s frontcourt reserves, should be a boost for the team on defense. Getting more stops alone will help the Fever play in transition, and the team should have a formidable defensive frontcourt for almost 40 minutes with Turner, Boston, Howard, Damiris Dantas, and Bonner.

The six-year veteran is best known for making two All-Defense teams, and she finished top-three in Defensive Player of the Year voting in 2021. While she does not provide the shooting element some other Fever free agent additions do, she is still efficient on offense (61.5% on all shots last season) and is a resourceful player with her screen setting and vision.

Last season, the Fever’s defense stumbled without Aliyah Boston on the floor, per pbpstats. Turner should help in that department and keep the team’s defensive level closer to constant between the starters and bench units.

“I felt that I could really complement their vision from the players,” Turner said of her fit with the Fever. Boston is a terrific defender and developing jump shooter — it’s hard to match what she does. But in past seasons, Indiana had to change their play style too much when Boston left the floor. The Fever became too guard heavy or too flimsy on defense. While Boston is a better offensive force than Turner, those shifts in style won’t be so dramatic in 2025.

Turner is a veteran, too, and one who has WNBA Finals experience. That was intentional from the Indiana Fever front office — they chased players who have made deep runs before. “Knowing how hard it is to do that I think is really important, and having that in your locker room is important,” president of basketball operations Kelly Krauskopf said. “When we get started, we haven’t done anything yet.”

Insert Turner, who played in the Finals in 2021. She’s eager to bring her mentality to her new team. “I think I’m really just like a calming presence,” Turner said. “I feel like I never get too high or get too low.”

As for the on-court style, Turner could provide more than just a defensive boost. She’s effective in the open floor, too. As the Fever look to run, someone who can guard and play with pace should fit well — look no further than what Temi Fagbenle gave the Fever last year.

“I am really competitive. I like to run the floor, I like to play defense, and I like to win,” Turner said. “And I think the Fever was the place to be if I wanted to win.”

In many ways, having Clark sets the Fever’s style. She was a top-five MVP finisher in her rookie season, so building around her strengths is sound team building. Krauskopf, Cox, and company did exactly that, bringing in players that can either space the floor, defend well enough to get the team into transition, or both — in multiple cases — both.

The style of play for the new-look Indiana Fever is now more clear. “I just think we’re going to do something really special here and moving forward,” Cunningham said.

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