Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham has been impressed with rookie Raven Johnson after just one practice. On Monday, via her “Show Me Something” podcast, Cunningham shared her impression on the team’s lottery pick.
Cunningham said:
“Raven Johnson is a freaking dawg. We had our first day of training camp, and I just love her.”
The Fever made Johnson the No. 10 pick of the 2026 WNBA draft, surprising many, who thought they would pick a forward. Despite having a loaded backcourt, Indiana GM still used the pick on the 2025-26 SEC Defensive Player of the Year.
Johnson left college with two national titles under her belt. In her final year with the Gamecocks, she averaged 9.9 points and 5.1 assists per game, career-high numbers. She added 4.0 rebounds and 1.5 steals per outing.
Since Stephanie White’s arrival, the Fever have put an emphasis on players who don’t hesitate to get their hands dirty, play with grit and provide leadership. It seems like White and Cox kept that strategy heading into this season by drafting Raven Johnson.
This early, Sophie Cunningham already liked what she saw from the highly-touted rookie.
Sophie Cunningham, Caitlin Clark and Other Veterans Have Made Raven Johnson’s Transition to WNBA Seamless
Among the Indiana Fever players, Raven Johnson is most familiar with Aliyah Boston. The two played together for two seasons with the Gamecocks, a partnership that helped the school to the 2022 NCAA championship.
While Johnson has gravitated towards Boston, the defensive specialist hasn’t been hesitant to approach her other teammates to make her transition to the pros easier.
After Sunday’s practice, Johnson responded when asked about how her teammates have helped her adjust to the WNBA:
“Sophie Cunningham, Caitlin Clark, Lexie Hull, Kelsey Mitchell, they are all great people to be around. They help me when I don’t know things. They know the system really well, so I asked them a lot of questions yesterday. I don’t know if they probably got annoyed by me.”
While Johnson has benefited from her veteran teammates, the old hands have also appreciated what she is poised to bring next season. Cunningham, in particular, already raved about Johnson’s potential on defense.
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