Fever look to elevate play as Commissioner’s Cup games begin

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A year after winning a team prize pool of $500,000 in the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup Championship, the Indiana Fever gear up for this year’s Commissioner’s Cup games, beginning this Thursday.

The Fever took down the Minnesota Lynx, 74-59, in last year’s Cup Championship game.

The Commissioner’s Cup is an annual in-season competition over the first few weeks of the season, with all 15 WNBA teams playing at least six designated Cup games.

After the designated Cup games, the teams with the best record during Cup Play from both the Western and Eastern conferences play each other in the Cup Championship for a chance to win a team prize pool of $500,000.

Fever guard Sophie Cunningham mentioned how last year’s Commissioner’s Cup served as a momentum boost for the Fever’s season.

“I think it was a turning point for our team last year,” Cunningham said. “We went through a lot, and just to see everyone come together, and everyone contributed, got positive reinforcement that everyone is needed. I think that’s always good for a team, especially going into that time of the season and then the playoffs. It’s good, but that’s last year. This year’s completely different, and so we’ve got to dial in today and get better offensively and defensively.”

The Fever are currently 4-4 to begin the 2026 season and have already allowed 100 or more points in three diff...