Are Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever constructed for a WNBA title now?

INDIANAPOLIS — On a weekend with the Indianapolis 500 qualifying on the town and the Pacers making ready for the Japanese Convention finals, the Indiana Fever‘s season opener took a backseat to nobody.

Final season, Caitlin Clark took the WNBA by storm and helped the Fever snap a seven-year playoff drought.

After an aggressive offseason targeted on supplementing the star energy of Clark and Aliyah Boston, the Fever entered 2025 considering a lot greater.

“My expectation is for us to attempt to win a championship,” Clark advised media members earlier than Indiana’s opener towards the Chicago Sky. “However after I take the courtroom, that is not what I am excited about. It is what can we do each single possession to win the sport.”

Indiana then torched the Sky 93-58, and Clark had a triple-double. Led by Stephanie White, in her second stint as coach, the Fever had an ideal begin to the 2025 season.

Per week later, they took the undefeated, defending champion New York Liberty to the ultimate seconds earlier than falling 90-88. After going 1-3 towards the Liberty final season, together with two blowout losses, the Fever now appeared like they have been on extra frequent floor and led by 12 at one level. It was the form of sport that seemingly validated the crew’s championship discuss and offseason makeover.

However issues shortly obtained much more sophisticated.

Clark, the 2024 No. 1 draft choose and WNBA Rookie of the Yr, was sidelined May 26 by a left quad pressure, the primary time in her professional or school careers she has missed any video games. The Fever are 4-5 general, 2-3 with out her. They hope she may return Saturday once they once more host the Liberty (ABC, 3 p.m. ET).

“Because the begin of the season, Steph has advised us that issues aren’t going to be good and never every part goes to go the way in which we expect,” Fever ahead Aliyah Boston advised ESPN. “It’s important to be able to face no matter occurs.”

With Clark on the courtroom, the Fever appeared like contenders. However Indiana’s ups and downs within the first month additionally present the issue translating potential to elevating a trophy. And even with consecutive No. 1 picks Boston and Clark, the championship window is extra instant than one may assume.

“The margin for error if you’re speaking about taking part in championship-caliber groups is so small,” White mentioned.

In Clark, the Fever have one of the vital in style athletes within the nation, a participant with the talent and charisma to garner a nonstop highlight that has unfold to all the group. The Fever have tried to encompass her as shortly as attainable with the suitable forged.

“Caitlin’s a participant that proper now has essentially the most expertise round her that she’s ever had,” White added. “Our job as coaches is how we work out easy methods to put us in place to be the perfect crew that we may be.”

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How totally different is the Fever’s offense with out Caitlin Clark?

Rebecca Lobo joins “SportsCenter” and analyzes the Indiana Fever’s offense the previous three video games with out Caitlin Clark.

THE FEVER WERE as soon as a perennial playoff crew, reaching 12 consecutive postseasons from 2005 to 2016 and profitable the 2012 WNBA title. In 2022, they gained a program-worst 5 video games as their playoff drought stretched on. However with the primary choose within the 2023 draft, Indiana chosen Boston, who went on to win rookie of the yr.

Now, regardless of how younger their stars are, the Fever are on the clock. Some groups in skilled sports activities ascend to the highest with lengthy builds, however a standard mentality amongst possession and entrance places of work now’s to take an opportunity when it presents itself.

The precedents within the WNBA are the Seattle Storm and Las Vegas Aces. The Storm had back-to-back No. 1 picks in 2001 (Lauren Jackson) and 2002 (Sue Chook), then gained a championship in 2004. They have been nonetheless collectively for a 2010 title.

Then it occurred once more for the Storm with Jewell Loyd in 2015 and Breanna Stewart in 2016, adopted by a championship in 2018. The Storm gained once more in 2020.

Las Vegas had three consecutive No. 1 choices: Kelsey Plum (2017, when the franchise was nonetheless in San Antonio), A’ja Wilson in 2018 and Jackie Young in 2019. The Aces reached the 2020 Finals after which gained the 2022 and 2023 championships.

The Fever’s 20-20 file in 2024 was proof their championship window was open. In got here a revamped mind belief — coach, basic supervisor and president — for 2025.

They prioritized the return of the longest-tenured Fever participant, free agent guard Kelsey Mitchell. For offseason additions, the Fever focused gamers with a variety of playoff expertise: forwards DeWanna Bonner and Natasha Howard and guards Sophie Cunningham and Sydney Colson.

“Final yr, our purpose was getting again to the playoffs,” Clark mentioned. “This yr, our entrance workplace made a variety of actually nice adjustments to have the ability to put this roster collectively and assemble a crew that may win now — if we do every part the suitable method.”

Howard was the No. 5 choose by the Fever within the 2014 draft; she spent two seasons in Indiana, together with competing within the 2015 WNBA Finals. Since then, she has performed for Minnesota, Seattle, New York and Dallas, profitable championships with the Lynx (2017) and Storm (2018, 2020).

Howard, ending a cup of ice cream after follow, mentioned she spends little or no time on social media however seen the response when she signed with the Fever earlier this yr.

“The followers have been like, ‘We’re actually pleased you are again right here.’ I cherished it,” Howard mentioned with a smile.

Faces from the Fever’s previous are in every single place at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, as if the great vibes from the franchise’s finest days are channeled into the current. White, who coached the Solar in 2023 and 2024, is again the place she spent 11 years as a participant and coach. Staff president Kelly Krauskopf was the Fever’s unique GM when the franchise launched in 2000. She left to be assistant GM of the Pacers in 2018 and now has returned.

Former Fever gamers Briann January, Karima Christmas-Kelly and Tully Bevilaqua are a part of the teaching workers. Lin Dunn, the longtime Fever head coach together with for the 2012 title, stepped in as GM in 2022 when the franchise was at all-time low following celebrity Tamika Catchings’ retirement in 2016.

Dunn, 78, had retired from basketball however agreed to return, saying she thought she might make progress in three seasons. She did, and she or he stays with the crew as a senior advisor.

Present GM Amber Cox and Bonner are new to the Fever, however each recall the environment when Indiana performed in its first WNBA Finals in 2009. They have been with the Fever’s opponent, the Phoenix Mercury, which beat Indiana in 5 video games.

In 2009, Bonner, now 37 and a mom of 7-year-old twins, was a WNBA rookie; Clark was 7 years previous.

“Typically, I simply say, ‘Oh my god, you youngsters!’ ” Bonner mentioned, laughing, about her youthful teammates. “However on the similar time, that retains me going.”

Bonner gained two titles with the Mercury after which performed within the 2022 Finals with Connecticut, the place she spent 2020-24. She did not come to Indiana to take over, however to slot in.

“I felt like that they had their chemistry already with their core, with CC, Kelsey and AB,” Bonner advised ESPN. “They simply wanted just a few extra equipment round them — good individuals. We now have good vitality within the locker room. You all the time can inform — earlier than you step on the courtroom — what it’ll be like by the locker room first.”

Cunningham mentioned she was happy to be traded to Indiana regardless of having fun with six seasons in Phoenix, the place she was drafted in 2019. The Fever’s model of play appealed to her, and she or he was prepared for a change.

“It felt prefer it was time to go,” Cunningham advised ESPN. “And every part about this made sense.”

Cunningham is a high-energy participant, very like guard Lexie Hull, whom the Fever picked No. 6 within the 2022 draft.

“In sports activities, there are two sorts of chemistry: the on-court chemistry after which the issues you do not actually know till you get everyone collectively and see how they work together,” Krauskopf advised ESPN. “It might look good on paper, however you must see it play out. This group, all of them need it to achieve success. They need the chemistry to work.”

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Caitlin Clark’s Third-quarter surge outdone by Liberty’s late comeback

Caitlin Clark’s third-quarter surge falls quick as Liberty dominate within the fourth quarter.

BEFORE CLARK WAS sidelined by harm, the Fever have been 2-2 and had misplaced these video games by a complete of three factors.

On Could 20 at dwelling, the Fever misplaced 91-90 to Atlanta in a sport that got here right down to a ultimate possession. 4 days later got here the two-point loss to New York in Indianapolis. That they had an opportunity to win or tie on the ultimate possession, however veteran Liberty guard Natasha Cloud knocked the ball away from Clark and time expired. That was the final time Clark performed.

“We’re two possessions from being 4-0,” Clark mentioned after falling to New York. “However there have been so many little areas of this sport we might have improved. It positively stings, however that is what is going on to make us higher on the finish of the yr.”

Then Clark was injured. With out her, the Fever misplaced back-to-back video games to Washington and Connecticut, two groups not projected to be within the playoffs this season. And extra accidents adopted. Cunningham has been restricted to 4 video games due to an ankle harm. And in that late-Could loss to the Solar, Colson exited with a leg harm, leaving the Fever with eight gamers the remainder of the sport and right down to their fourth level guard possibility.

Signing guard Aari McDonald by way of a hardship exception helped Indiana bounce again to beat the Mystics of their second assembly on June 3. And on June 7, in entrance of greater than 19,000 followers within the first WNBA sport performed at Chicago’s United Middle, the Fever crushed the Sky for a second time this season, profitable 79-62. White missed that sport coping with household considerations, then returned Tuesday because the Dream snapped the Fever’s two-game win streak, 77-58.

Aliyah Boston’s effectivity has been off the charts within the final 4 video games. Taking pictures 78% in that stretch (all w/o Caitlin Clark). She averages 12.8 FGA with CC and solely 6.8 FGA w/o her, in comparable minutes (31mg v 28mg). Could possibly be poised for a monster scoring outburst when CC returns.

— Rebecca Lobo (@RebeccaLobo) June 9, 2025

All through her harm absence, Clark has been an enthusiastic “assistant coach.”

“She would not like sitting nonetheless,” Hull mentioned. “She likes being occupied and having one thing to do, so the coaches give her issues to maintain monitor of. I imply, you see it — she desires to be on the market. She’s speaking to the refs, she’s nonetheless very a lot concerned.”

A latest video on social media confirmed Clark bouncing a small ball on the sideline and play-wrestling with Colson. “Oh my gosh, she’s like a bit of child,” Boston joked. “She must preserve herself entertained.

“However significantly, she’s all the time speaking, all the time transferring. It retains every part fairly mild. That is her character.”

Boston and Clark clicked as a post-guard duo final season, a connection that has solely deepened. They’re desperate to be on the courtroom collectively once more, however they know adversity is a part of the journey.

“All the things will not be going to be picture-perfect in a season,” Boston mentioned. “It’s important to be reasonable about it. Whoever is prepared and wholesome and might compete, you simply need to go together with that.”

Nobody is aware of that higher than Mitchell, now in her eighth WNBA season. The Fever drafted her at No. 2 in 2018, and she or he’s taking part in for her fifth coach in Indiana. She has but to expertise a profitable season — final yr’s .500 file was the perfect it has been in her profession — and the Fever totaled single-digit victories in 4 of her seasons.

Mitchell believes in what the Fever are doing now but in addition would not sugarcoat issues. After Indiana’s dwelling loss to Atlanta, she was blunt within the postgame information convention.

“Right this moment we failed miserably as a bunch,” Mitchell mentioned. “Consciousness, realizing personnel, self-discipline — being on prime of that. Having the ability to stand up to runs.

“I child you not: This is without doubt one of the hardest-working teams I’ve ever seen. [But] some nights are good, some nights are dangerous. It is a part of being an expert athlete.”

Offense has been the Fever’s strongest level since Clark has joined the crew. Her potential to run the offense at a quick tempo was elite shortly into her professional profession.

“Oftentimes, we are saying it is like making music,” White mentioned. “It is like a dance, like rhythm, all these issues.”

The Fever need to get higher defensively, particularly in comparison with final season, once they had the league’s second-worst defensive score. January, who’s in control of the Fever protection, was an excellent defensive participant who brings that to her teaching.

“Bri has actually challenged our group to be bodily, to be up of their area,” Clark mentioned. “If you happen to do this, you are going to deny passing lanes, attempt to get steals, jam up their handoffs. You are by no means by your self; you’ve built-in assist.

“And the factor about watching movie is, you return and look and it is by no means as dangerous because it appears. However it’s additionally by no means pretty much as good because it appears.”

Maybe that is one of the simplest ways to take a look at the Fever’s season to this point. At occasions, they’ve performed so effectively it is comprehensible why there’s a lot pleasure about them. Different occasions, the failings have confirmed.

“We’re making ready ourselves for September and October,” Hull mentioned. “If we are able to undergo these items now to arrange for that, it is good. There are occasions it is not enjoyable, however we’re all prepared to remain in it, keep targeted and simply perceive it is a part of the method.”