Sophie Cunningham is not one to sugarcoat things and the WNBA fans know it. So, when she sat down on her podcast and said the Indiana Fever are “not doing so hot right now,” it was someone telling the truth about where her team stands.

Where they stand, through the first nine games of a season that was supposed to announce their arrival, is 5-5. Not bad for most teams. But for a team that was supposed to be in championship contention, it feels like a problem.

The expectations coming into this year were surely loud. Caitlin Clark is entering year three with a roster that actually has depth. Stephanie White stepped in as head coach with a clear mandate to push this group into genuine contention. The WNBA world is watching. In some way, Cunningham believes, that’s exactly the issue.

Cunningham on what’s really going on with the Fever

Cunningham addressed it on her podcast, ‘Show Me Something,’ and admitted they are not where they want to be, even pointing a finger at a massive target on their backs.

“First of all, we are circled on everyone’s roster, right? We are the only team who has all nationalized televised games, and just like, people hate us, and I get that.” Cunningham said. “I hate other teams, too. So, that’s nothing new. But I just think everyone expects us to leave off of where we were last year.”

Such a point is not hidden. Still, this isn’t the same roster that finished last season. New players have come in and those pieces are still figuring out where they fit.

All of it takes time, but the Fever just do not have the luxury of taking all the time in the world. The losses to the Golden State Valkyries and Portland Fire back-to-back made that urgency impossible to ignore. The Portland game finished 100-84, with no offensive rhythm and no player scoring 20 points.

A team with Indiana’s firepower getting held to that kind of output is a red flag, not a blip. They did bounce back with an 83-71 win over Angel Reese and the Atlanta Dream. But one win does not close the gap between what this team is and what people expect it to be by now.

Cunningham also acknowledged that frustration exists in the locker room, too, and, in some ways, that’s actually a good sign.

“Everyone’s a little frustrated with how we’re playing because we all know we’re better than it. But I think sometimes you need this type of stuff in order to get to the root of the problem of whatnot. And then this is what lets the team blossom,” she added.

This is a league where most times a team needs to hit a wall before it figures out how to go through it. The reported two-hour meeting Indiana held recently tells that they’re not brushing anything under the rug. They know what the problems are. Now it’s about fixing them.

Can the Fever still become what everyone thought they would be?

The Fever have the talent, but that part was never really in question. Kelsey Mitchel is averaging 21.1 points, Aliyah Boston is averaging 15.9 points and 7.6 rebounds and Caitlin Clark is putting up 18.7 points every game. When the guards get the offense moving and defenses have to respect the perimeter, Indiana becomes a nightmare.

Monique Billings and Myisha Hines-Allen bring the kind of physical toughness this roster needed. One cleans up possessions on defense and creates space off screens and the other gives White another reliable playmaking option up front.

On the wing, Lexie Hull’s on-ball defense is underrated. She makes life harder for opposing guards who think they can attack the rim at will. Cunningham also provides the scoring boost and outside shooting that keeps defenses honest. So, the pieces fit, but they just haven’t been able to click the way they would like.

Right now, the Fever look like a team carrying pressure it hasn’t fully figured out. But with what Cunningham explains, they know it’s a phase.