Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark has been named Eastern Conference Player of the week for her play last week. A’ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces was the recipient in the Western Conference.

Clark averaged 25.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 6…

Read more

The Indiana Fever continue to be the biggest television draw in women’s basketball.

The Fever-Liberty matchup on June 6 averaged 2.557 million viewers on CBS, making it the most-watched WNBA game on any network this season, according to Nielsen data released by CBS Sports.

The national broadcast also peaked at 3.022 million viewers.

CBS said the audience was up 33% compared to the same network window last season, when Indiana played Chicago on June 7, 2025.

The viewership milestone is significant beyond just this season. According to CBS Sports, the Fever’s visit to New York ranks as the second most-watched WNBA game on any network since 2000, including playoff games.

Since drafting Caitlin Clark with the No. 1 pick in 2024, the Fever have become one of the biggest draws in sports. The impact was immediate: The 2024 WNBA Draft drew roughly five times the audience of the previous year’s broadcast despite little suspense about who would be selected first overall.

That interest has carried into the regular season. And it’s now reflected in all 44 regular-season Fever games this season picked up by national networks — a first in league history.

Subscribe now

The Liberty won the 2024 WNBA Championship and are headlined by Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, and Jonquel Jones. However, Ionescu did not play; she’s missed all but one game this season due to injury.

The Fever led by as many as 12 points, but were outscored 29-18 in the fourth quarter of a 83-75 loss. The Liberty attempted 40 free throws, including 23 in the final period, to the Fever’s 15 attempts. Stewart, alone, finished 18 of 21 at the line and led all scorers with 30 points.

It also had additional meaning because it was a Commissioner’s Cup game.

Television numbers have become a recurring storyline for the Fever since the 2024 season, regularly delivering an audience larger than one million — and helping drive league-wide visibility and sponsor interest.

The Fever are the it team. Since the 2025 season, they’ve leaned into sizable following with the slogan: “Every game is a home game.”

The latest audience figure underscores the Fever’s role as the league’s primary ratings engine. More than halfway through the season, no other WNBA game has attracted a larger television audience than Indiana’s nationally televised showdown with New York.

Tully Bevilaqua has seen it all in the WNBA. As the league celebrates its 30th season, the Australian guard has been part of nearly all of it.

She’s most known for her time with the Indiana Fever, both as a player and now as a member of the coaching staff.

She’s also done extensive broadcasting work for the team and served as a player development assistant from 2017-20.

Bevilaqua is now full-time with the franchise, serving as an advanced scout and video coordinator. She’s active in the team’s game preparations and sits behind the bench, in the second row, at most games.

Read more

The Indiana Fever are enjoying a rare break in their schedule.

After playing five games in 10 days, they now have a five-day break between games. That included a rare weekend off, which allowed for Caitlin Clark to experience the Indianapolis 500 for the first time. And in an official capacity.

It’s something sports fans in Indy have wanted to see since Clark was selected No. 1 overall by the Fever two years ago.

Finally, a break in the WNBA schedule made this crossover possible.

Read more

Good afternoon and welcome back to Fieldhouse Files. After a Fever-heavy few days, I’m returning to the classic notebook format today.

In Indianapolis, there’s no better weekend than race weekend.

I’m writing this from the media center at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where preparations are complete for the 110th running of the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday. Despite concerns about rain throughout the weekend, drivers were able to complete the final two-hour practice session on Friday.

A number of celebrities will be part of the festivities on Sunday.

Jordin Sparks will sing the national anthem, Caitlin Clark will serve as Grand Marshal and give the command for drivers to start their engines, and IU football coach Curt Cignetti will drive the Chevrolet pace car.

The grandstands and official parking have already sold out, and the local blackout on FOX59 has been lifted. We’re ready to go for another race.

One of the more entertaining additions to Carb Day returned Friday afternoon: the Wienie 500.

For the second straight year, Oscar Mayer brought six 27-foot-long Wienermobiles to the track for a novelty race that has quickly become a fan favorite. Each vehicle had its own identity — including Chi Dog, New York Dog, and Corn Dog — and the crowd loved every minute of it.

Even big FOX aired it live and leaned fully into the absurdity of it all. Using the same announcers from the Indianapolis 500 broadcast made the race even better, with the commentary crew delivering nonstop jokes and energy throughout.

Oscar Mayer deserves a lot of credit too. The marketing campaign around the race has been brilliant. Everywhere you looked Friday, fans were dressed as hot dogs or carrying hot dog memorabilia.

They were all-in on the puns.

New York Dog took the checkered flag and boos came down from the stands. That dog was not a fan favorite.

Coming up on Saturday, Pascal Siakam and Andrew Nembhard of the Pacers will serve as Grand Marshals for the 500 Festival Parade. The Pacemates are also involved.

Former Pacer Scot Pollard served as Grand Marshal last year, while Tamika Catchings held the role in 2024.

The parade begins at noon ET from downtown Indianapolis.

Also of note:

Fever Fill Open Roster Spot

The Fever signed 6-foot-3 forward Grace VanSlooten — a third-round 2026 pick of the Seattle Storm. She fills the roster spot that was created after they waived guard Shatori Walker-Kimbrough on Thursday.

The move gives Indiana additional size in the frontcourt, something the roster needed.

Read more

The Indiana Fever waived Shatori Walker-Kimbrough, the team announced Thursday afternoon.

She signed a training camp contract with the Fever on April 16, and then was on a one-year, non-guaranteed deal.

Read more

The Indiana Fever did not provide the Portland Fire a warm welcome-back-to-the-league experience.

The Fire, one of two expansion teams, were in Indiana on Wednesday for their first road game of the season after opening with a four-game homestand. The Fever led 28-20 after the first quarter, outscored Portland in each of the first three quarters, and never trailed in a 90-73 win.

Indiana got it done easily, even without Caitlin Clark — the face of the WNBA.

She was a late scratch, added to the injury report with a “back” designation less than two hours before tipoff. Head coach Stephanie White then shared pregame that Clark did not participate in Tuesday’s practice. Media is allowed in for a brief portion at the beginning of practice and she was around. (Here’s my practice report from Tuesday.)

White said the All-Star guard received treatment and then completed a workout. They had two days between games.

“Not everybody that doesn’t practice or gets a pro day is on the injury report, so that happens all the time,” White said postgame. “She wasn’t listed on the injury report earlier because we expected her to play.”

Better communication and transparency from all teams through the league’s daily injury reporting would benefit both fans and the media.

Coincidentally, WNBA PR sent an email at 3:34 p.m. ET on Wednesday alerting media to a new game-status reporting system, which includes injury reports every 15 minutes on game days.

OK … back to basketball.

All-Star center Aliyah Boston returned after missing the first game of her career on Sunday — ending a streak of 275 consecutive appearances dating back to high school. She led all players with 24 points and eight rebounds, making 8 of 11 shots, including 2 of 4 from beyond the arc.

“It felt pretty good,” Boston said. “I think for me, just continuing to manage that and be ready every single night I step on the floor.”

Leave a comment

One memorable sequence came when Boston knocked down a 3-pointer, then followed it up with a layup on the next possession after sealing deep in the paint. That pushed the Fever lead to 26, their largest of the game. Portland had no answer for her.

“She shot with confidence, she played with confidence,” White said. “Her physicality was really good. I thought her balance was really good. And she did exactly what we need her to do.

“She takes control of the offense when we need her to, breaking the press when we need her to. But I thought overall just her conviction in everything she did was really good. I was so happy that she wasn’t hesitating shooting the basketball.”

White said before the season that she wanted Boston to shoot more 3-pointers, and this was a successful example of that. Boston can also relieve pressure on the guards when opponents press full court or trap the ball-handler.

The Fever (3-2) assisted on 75% of their field goals (21 of 28), a high mark that typically leads to success.

“That’s the thing that we’ve just been continuing to work on — keeping the ball popping, getting it to the second side, making the right pass on time and on target — and we did a great job of that,” Boston said.

Seven of those assists — along with zero turnovers — came from Indy native Ty Harris, whose workload was managed during training camp as she returns from season-ending surgery on her left knee almost one year ago.

Harris spent two seasons with this coaching staff in Connecticut, so she knows exactly what they want. That allowed her to fit right in after starting in place of Clark.

“She’s steady,” White said. “So I felt good about her coming in and being able to handle the ball against the pressure and get us where we were supposed to get to.

“She had to play a lot of hard minutes against the press so I’m not surprised at her shooting percentage (0 for 6) because she’s a great shooter. But I thought she did exactly what we needed.”

Subscribe now

The Fever also shot better from range. Excluding guard Raven Johnson’s 1-for-8 night, the rest of the team combined to go 8 for 20 from deep.

And Lexie Hull, the glue of the team, beamed postgame when asked about her shooting. She went 4 for 4 from 3-point range and finished with 16 points and eight rebounds. She also took a charge — something she seems to do nightly.

“It feels good to see the ball go through the net,” Hull said with a big smile. “I think just getting more games under our belt, getting more comfortable, building that chemistry, knowing where those shots are coming from.

“I feel like that’s something we drill a lot in practice, and we got a lot of the shots that we wanted — a lot of shots that we walked through. So obviously it feels good. AB hitting two threes tonight, 2 for 4. We will take that every night.”

Boston, sitting to her left, chimed in:

“Girl, you were 4 for 4. You were 100% from the field.”

Hull laughed and replied:

“We’ll take 50%, we’ll take 100. It’s good by me.”

Hull, who played in every game last season, shot 36.7% from distance after shooting 47.1% in 2024. She remains one of the better outside shooters in the WNBA.

However, she was not a full participant in camp because of hamstring tightness. Now, she says she’s “good — back to normal.”

“She’s one of the toughest players I’ve ever been around,” White said in her second season coaching Hull. “She’s tough, she plays her butt off. She makes the right plays on the defensive end of the floor. She relishes doing those things that energize our team.

“… Everybody has their role, and Lexie’s the energizer bunny for us. Those plays give us energy.”

Kelsey Mitchell poured in 21 points and added four assists, and no one logged 30 minutes. Most starters played about 21 minutes, which is significant with Friday marking the team’s fifth game in 10 days.

Portland’s 73 points were the fewest Indiana has allowed through five games this season. The Fever now have their first winning streak of the year and are above .500 for the first time.

“It’s really starting to build continuity on both ends of the floor,” White said. “There are times where we are disjointed. So I do think it’s putting one foot in front of the other.

“Yes, we have some returning pieces. But a lot of those returning pieces are learning how to play together again. And we have a lot of new pieces trying to fine-tune what we’re gonna do and build connectivity on both ends of the floor.

“It doesn’t happen overnight. … And I’m pleased with our progression.”

After hosting Golden State on Friday, the Fever will enjoy five days between games before playing in San Francisco next Thursday to complete an early-season home-and-home.

Clark is expected back, and after Indy 500 fans enjoy Carb Day at the track, Friday’s game should make for a fun start to race weekend in Indianapolis.

Interviews

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark will not play in Wednesday’s game against the Portland Fire, one of two expansion franchises for the 2026 season.

Her status was downgraded to out due to “back,” at 5:20 p.m. ET by the team.

Speaking with reporters about an hour later, head coach Stephanie White said that she learned of the determination around 5 p.m. after Clark “woke up with some stiffness and some soreness.

“… It’s not the time to take a chance. We just really wanna be cautious.”

That aligns with what the Fever have said. They have taken a cautious approach with player health, having the long-term in mind. We saw that in training camp with Ty Harris, Aliyah Boston and Lexie Hull, etc.

Clark was visible at practice on Tuesday, but White said Clark did not participate. “She got treatment yesterday and went through workouts after practice,” she said.

I reported earlier that there is no new injury or concern. White confirmed that.

“She’s healthy,” said White, adding, “we’re not managing anything. This is just a back issue that we want to make sure we give the time to be ready.”

I also wrote that it was “part of a strategic management plan” for Clark, who missed all but 13 games last season due to several injuries. That was not to insinuate load management, but rather emphasize the precautionary measure given what she experienced last season.

This is Indiana’s fourth game in eight days, with another one coming on Friday against the Golden State Valkyries.

Clark is playing almost 31 minutes per game and is one of several players to wear a black heating pad around her back when not in the game. There’s a lot of stress on one’s body when ramping back up to a full workload, and she hadn’t played significant minutes since last July.

Without Clark, point guard Ty Harris will start in her place.

“She’s experienced,” White said. “They’re a team that’s gonna press. I wanna have an experienced point guard on the floor when that happens.”

The game will tip off after 7 p.m. ET, available nationally on USA Sports. Kate Scott (play-by-play), Hall of Famer Tamika Catchings (analyst), and Paris Lawson (sideline) are on the call.

The Fever are 2-2 and coming off a home win on Sunday against the Seattle Storm. All-Star center Aliyah Boston, who missed the game, is off the injury report and discussed what she’s going through before practice on Tuesday.

The Fire are also 2-2. They’re beginning a three-game road trip in Indiana after a four-game homestand to open the season.

These two teams will meet again very soon, in Portland on May 30.

Clark ranks fifth in the WNBA in scoring, averaging 24.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 9.0 assists per game.

This story was updated before tipoff to reflect Stephanie White’s comments.

When Caitlin Clark established the Caitlin Clark Foundation, she did so with three core pillars in mind: education, nutrition, and sport.

Over the weekend, the WNBA star made a special announcement that directly impacts kids and the Indianapolis community.

Inside a brand-new Lilly corporate space — a building that had not even been open for a full week — Clark joined representatives from her foundation, Eli Lilly and Company, and Musco Lighting to celebrate the opening of three multi-sport community courts in Indianapolis.

“We started this project in Des Moines and built a few courts there,” Clark said. “And now I’m doing this in Indianapolis. These three courts here are pretty special.”

One of the new courts, located at E. South St. and S. New Jersey St. just south of downtown, is open to the public. Lilly provided the park and court as part of the company’s 150th anniversary celebration.

That’s where the announcement was originally scheduled, but the weather had other plans.

Along with the public court, two additional courts were built at Indianapolis Public Schools — Clarence Farrington and Edison School of the Arts — to support school programming.

“There’s multiple spaces that we’re donating back to the city of Indianapolis for free in hopes that, for generations to come, the community will come out, enjoy these spaces, families will come together, and kids will come out and play,” said Melissa Coe, Associate Vice President of Social Impact and Community Engagement at Lilly. “Health makes everything else possible, so we’re proud to have a small part in doing that for the city of Indianapolis.”

Subscribe now

Clark grew up playing nearly every sport imaginable, from basketball to soccer. She often played with her brothers. Her older brother, Blake, and her mother, Anne Nizzi-Clark, both serve on the foundation’s board and were present for the announcement.

“It’s very important to her,” said Mary Coffin, president of the Caitlin Clark Foundation. “Staying active, having a place to play, and to connect.

“She knows it’s a big part of building your confidence, meeting friends, being a part of the community, and they’re just great courts to do all of that. So she’s just very excited to see kids out playing on them. It’s just it’s very heartfelt to her to see the kids when they take the soccer balls and the basketballs and start playing on the court.”

Last July, before the school year began, the foundation distributed backpacks in Indy as part of its education pillar. The organization plans to do it again this summer.

“Some of my best memories as a kid are getting to go outside and play on these courts, make new friends, meet new people,” Clark said. “And I think it’s super important for our community, for these kids, to have these spaces that they can go to with their families.

“They can feel safe. They can have fun. They can be active. So really just special for the whole community and hopefully we can continue to do more amazing work like this. So just super thankful for everybody that’s here.”

When Clark was introduced to the crowd, about a dozen kids sat on the floor in front of the podium. Most wore Fever gear, while a few sported Clark jerseys.

“Are you guys excited?” she asked, smiling toward the children. “I love your Fever gear. It looks so good.

“This is a really special project that I get to be a part of. I tell people this all the time — one of my favorite things I get to do with my platform is help people like you and give back to the community.”

Downtown Indianapolis continues to thrive because of its sports teams and convention business. Major events seem to arrive every month, from the Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament to the NCAA Men’s Final Four and WNBA All-Star Game.

That’s in addition to the city’s growing restaurant and entertainment scene. Clark, a global star, was invited to walk out with country music star Morgan Wallen one week ago at Lucas Oil Stadium.

“Now when families come downtown, they can expect not only world-class sporting events, world-class dining, and entertainment, but also access to nature and a space to put on a game of their own,” Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett said. “This is especially important for our city’s young people — our future leaders and future generations. This new court is going to inspire generations of kids to play and dream big.”

“We’ve been fortunate to do Lucas Oil, Gainbridge Arena, the minor league stadium, great stuff,” said Jeff Rogers, CEO of Musco Lighting. “But what will be on our mantle will be these Caitlin Clark community courts. We think that’s a wonderful contribution to the city of Indianapolis.”

Whether it’s shooting hoops, kicking a soccer ball, or simply having a place to gather, this initiative clearly means a lot to Clark.

“I love that Caitlin uses her platform to help others,” Coe added. “And I love that the Caitlin Clark Foundation is focused on health above all and asks, ‘How can we help build healthier communities?’ That’s something Lilly believes in, too, so it’s a perfect fit.”

One month ago, the foundation announced a partnership with Scholastic Books. In November, Clark’s first book — aimed at inspiring kids — will be released.

It’s guaranteed to be a best-seller because it’s Clark — and she is The Needle.

That’s how you know this project is going to be successful too; everything in her orbit is.

“She always says, ‘Dream big,’” Coffin added. “She dreamed big, and she worked hard. She says, ‘I worked hard and I earned it.’

“But she’s really stood behind the idea that you can be a great athlete, but you also need the education and nutrition that support it — and then you have to get out and be active. It’s a very simple but very powerful message.”

As Clark’s influence continues to expand globally, projects like this show where much of her focus remains — close to the community. For the kids who will grow up playing on these courts, the impact could last far longer than any single game or season.

Fieldhouse Files with Scott Agness is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support independent journalism, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Subscribe now

Refer a friend

Give a gift subscription

Indiana sports fans and Indianapolis Motor Speedway alike are finally getting their wish.

Caitlin Clark will not only attend Sunday’s Indianapolis 500, but she will do so in an official capacity as Grand Marshal. It had been in the works for a while, but IMS made it official Tuesday morning.

“I’m honored to represent Gainbridge as grand marshal of the Indy 500,” Clark said in a statement. “I’m looking forward to experiencing an iconic piece of what makes Indiana so special and being part of the time-honored tradition of ‘The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.’”

As Grand Marshal, she will step to the microphone atop the Victory Podium — in front of more than 330,000 fans at IMS and millions more watching on Fox — and deliver the ceremonial command to the 33 drivers:

“Drivers, to your cars!”

She is scheduled to appear at 12:33 p.m. ET following the national anthem, which will be performed by Jordin Sparks.

Last year’s Grand Marshals were former Major League Baseball stars Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez. In 2024, actor Dylan Sprouse served in the role.

Clark was asked about the opportunity this week. It’ll be her first time at the race.

“When you first move to Indianapolis, that’s what everybody that lives in the state of Indiana asks you or tells you — ‘You got to go to the Indy 500 or you have to experience it just once.’ So personally, I’m really excited. Hoping the rain holds off a little bit, but it should be a fun day.”

Clark expects some of her teammates to be there as well.

Once Clark is finished, Jim Cornelison will then sing “Back Home Again in Indiana!”

That’s followed by IMS Chairman Roger Penske giving the second command: “Drivers, start your engines!”

By 12:45 p.m. ET, the green flag will drop for “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”

It’s the world’s largest single-day sporting event.

Curt Cignetti, head coach of Indiana University’s undefeated national championship football team, will drive the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X pace car.

Subscribe now

Clark has partnered with Gainbridge since her senior year at the University of Iowa. With the company serving as presenting sponsor of the race, of course they’d like to integrate her in any capacity she is willing.

“Indianapolis is at the center of what we do at Gainbridge,” said President Derek Towriss. “We’ve been the presenting partner of the Indy 500 since 2019, and Caitlin has been part of the Gainbridge family since before she was playing home games at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Having her as grand marshal pulls it all together.

“We invest in people and places we believe in for the long run. We do the same for our customers, helping people who work hard for their money put it to work for them. This is going to be a Race Day moment we’ll all remember.”

Gainbridge and parent company Group 1001 likes to put Clark in different sporting venues away from the basketball court. For the past two years, she has participated in The Annika Pro-Am in Belleair, Florida, and now she’ll be featured in front of one of the largest audiences in motorsports.

Clark knows a little something about speed and pushing the pace, too.

The scheduling simply hadn’t worked out during Clark’s first two seasons after being drafted No. 1 overall by the Indiana Fever in 2024.

This year, however, the Fever play at home Friday and then do not play again until the following Thursday. The team has already penciled in off days for this weekend.

That means Clark will be able to fully enjoy race day and experience the event firsthand. After her official duties conclude, she’ll likely take in the race from the Gainbridge suite at the top of Pagoda, offering one of the best views at IMS.

“Since being drafted by the Fever, fans have been clamoring to share the epic celebration and thrilling excitement of Indy 500 Race Day with Caitlin,” said Doug Boles, President of IndyCar and IMS.

“Caitlin will bring unique energy and presence to a quintessentially Hoosier experience and an absolutely bucket list global sporting spectacle.”

Indiana sports fans are getting a full Pacers & Racers & Fever weekend.

On Saturday, Pacers’ Andrew Nembhard and Pascal Siakam will serve as Grand Marshals for the annual 500 Festival Parade in downtown Indianapolis.

One year ago, several members of the Fever visited IMS for the first time and head coach Stephanie White waved the green flag during a practice session.

“I think it’s going to be a lot of fun,” White said of Clark’s opportunity. “To experience that, as the Grand Marshal, is one of the highest honors you can get in the state of Indiana.”

Clark, Indiana’s biggest sports star, has taken over basketball arenas nationwide. On Sunday, she’ll command the attention of the racing world, too.

Share

Give a gift subscription

Caitlin Clark is accustomed to setting records. She’s the all-time leading scorer in NCAA Division I history, and once she entered the WNBA, she added a page full of records there, too.

Whether it’s on the court, at the box office, in the team store or in TV ratings, she is the outlier.

So, of course, Clark experienced something new on Sunday.

A few hours before the Fever’s 89-78 win over the Seattle Storm to claim their first home win of the season at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the WNBA officially updated the box score from Friday’s game against the Washington Mystics.

Clark finished with 32 points and eight assists, but two assists were missing. After the game, team officials reached out to the league and asked them to take another look.

The Pacers/Fever have one of the best stats crews in the league, and then each game is reviewed by the WNBA.

After further review, Clark was credited with those two assists, securing another game with 20-plus points and 10-plus assists.

“I think that might be a first, that’s a good point,” she said about setting history two days later.

In 56 career games, it marked her 11th such performance — a new WNBA record. Courtney Vandersloot did it 10 times and Diana Taurasi nine times in 436 and 566 games, respectively.

Clark hasn’t even played two full WNBA seasons, yet she has already surpassed every player in league history in combining scoring and facilitating at that level.

Then, Clark did it again in Sunday’s win. For a 12th time.

Read more

The inbounds pass went to Aliyah Boston on the right block with 2:37 left in the third quarter. Kiki Iriafen, who finished with a career-high 25 points and 13 rebounds, defended her while Shakira Austin (19 points, nine rebounds, five assists) slid over for a double-team.

Boston dribbled once, pivoted away from the defense, then tossed the ball to Myisha Hines-Allen at the top of the arc for a 3-point attempt.

It’s unclear whether Boston and Iriafen went knee-to-knee — each wearing a sleeve on her right leg — but both players appeared to hobble after the brief interaction.

Boston exited at the next stoppage, headed back to the locker room and was not seen again. Minutes later, she was officially ruled out with a lower leg injury — the same designation used for an injury she suffered months ago during the final week of Unrivaled.

Before the season, general manager Amber Cox said “Aliyah’s doing great. Ready to go.”

Boston did not play in the first two preseason games and has been on a minutes restriction of 25 to 30 minutes; she played 21 minutes on Friday.

The Indiana Fever lost 104-102 to the Washington Mystics in overtime — and the extent of Boston’s injury is unknown. No update was provided postgame, but Boston has been a steady force inside for the franchise over the past three seasons.

She’s a three-time All-Star and had never missed a game in her career: 127 games played, 127 starts.

(Note: This is where we could really use locker rooms open like they were years ago. What was going on? Was she icing? Completely fine? Wearing a concerned look on her face?)

The Fever mounted a comeback without her, but the margin for error disappeared without one of their foundational pieces. It required a Caitlin Clark breakthrough — scoring 17 of her game-high 32 points in the fourth quarter, including a game-tying 3-pointer at the end of regulation to force overtime.

Read more

Indiana Fever coach Stephanie White and All-Star guard Caitlin Clark shared a fun, playful moment Wednesday after the Fever captured their first win of the season.

One game after yielding 107 points in a loss to the Dallas Wings to open the season, the Fever held the Los Angeles Sparks to 78 points in an 87-78 victory. Asked about the defensive improvements, White hesitated.

“Ehhhh,” she began.

Clark jumped in. “We only gave up 78 points. We're going to win a lot of games if we do that. What do you want?”

“I want more,” White replied. “Coaches always want more..."

Clark, smiling, responded: “She's insane.”

Defense is the focus this season, but Clark is always locked into the offensive end. After all, it’s her specialty. She led the Fever with 24 points and nine assists in the win, evening their record at 1-1.

Clark was also issued her first technical foul of the season, then said afterward that she learned her lesson. Under the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, the first three technicals come with a $500 fine. It goes up from there.

The Fever took the lead early and never relinquished it, nearly posting a wire-to-wire road win.

Kelsey Mitchell added 23 points and Sophie Cunningham chipped in 12.

The Fever grew their lead to 21, but it was trimmed to seven late in the fourth quarter as the Sparks, led by Kelsey Plum and her 25-point effort, went on an 11-3 run. Indiana held them off in the final 90 seconds.

Starting forward Monique Billings, back home in Los Angeles, made her Fever debut after sitting out the opener due to a right ankle sprain. She finished with nine points and eight rebounds in 27 minutes.

That production was needed because center Aliyah Boston battled foul trouble and eventually finished with four points (all from the free-throw line) and seven rebounds before fouling out in 23 minutes. It was her first disqualification in a regular-season game since her rookie season. She is now in Year 4.

The Fever’s top priorities remain defense (the Sparks shot 49%), transition defense (Indiana was outscored 11-2), and turnovers (17 turnovers leading to 14 Sparks points).

Still, it was the first of many wins the Fever hope to collect this season, and every road win carries added importance.

Officiating remains a major talking point around the league. A new task force was created, and officials are calling more fouls in an effort to enforce freedom of movement. Consistency is key, White stressed postgame, but this is a positive step toward what all parties are wanting.

There will continue to be growing pains in the meantime.

It was also an unusual one-off trip, sending the Fever all the way to the West Coast for just one game. Typically, a trip like that includes at least two additional stops, such as Seattle, Portland, Golden State or Phoenix. But not this time.

The trip was made for television as part of USA Sports’ first doubleheader after acquiring a WNBA television package this season — one that even includes rights to select WNBA Finals games.

Up next, the Fever host the Washington Mystics on Friday (7:30 p.m. ET), the start of a four-game homestand over eight days.

Watch my recap of the game, along with the postgame press conference featuring White, Clark and Mitchell, below:

The Indiana Fever were left with one available roster spot following transactions last week to finalize their Opening Day roster. New this season, teams may carry 14 players — with the final two spots designated for developmental contracts.

These two contracts do not count against the salary cap, and players are also provided housing. Players may be activated for up to 12 games per season while also practicing and being around the team in a full-time capacity.

The Fever used their first developmental contract before the start of training camp, signing 2026 second-round pick Justine Pissott. She’s a 6-foot-3 forward who can help on the perimeter and shot 42.2% from 3-point range last season at Vanderbilt.

Then on Monday, two days after their season opener, the Fever brought back 2025 second-round pick Bree Hall, a 6-foot-1 guard, on a developmental contract as well.

It’s Hall’s third stint with the franchise.

She was in training camp last season but was waived due to a numbers game — which is why these developmental contracts were viewed as so important. Then, after injuries continued to pile up, the Fever signed Hall before the postseason on Sept. 4.

Hall, 22, appeared in one regular-season game for the Fever last year and four playoff games.

Fever general manager Amber Cox said on “Fever Weekly” that the organization thinks highly of Hall and explained why she was their choice for the final spot.

We’ve loved her progress. She really had a great plan going into the offseason, just in terms of what she wanted to do to get better. Really took our feedback to heart. And I think you’ve seen a lot of that progress take shape in the off season.

She’s been dealing with a little bit of plantar fasciitis that she needed to get some treatment and ultimately is managing. So it was a bit of a timing thing to get her back in here a little bit later than training camp. But we’re just excited about her potential.

A long, long wing that can really get out and defend. That’s been her calling card since her time at South Carolina. And she can knock down a three. She wasn’t called upon to do it a ton in South Carolina, but again, she has made that a real focal point to really build on her game and continue to evolve to be a great pro. So we’re excited to add her to that last spot.

She becomes the fourth player out of South Carolina on the roster, along with Aliyah Boston, Raven Johnson, and Ty Harris.

The Fever play in Los Angeles on Wednesday, then return home for a stretch of four games in eight days at Gainbridge Fieldhouse against Washington, Seattle, Portland and Golden State.

Subscribe now

Caitlin Clark came out of the locker room for the second half looking to find her rhythm. She made a 3-pointer on their first possession, then another 90 seconds later.

She turned to run back on defense near the midcourt logo and gave a fist pump with her right arm like Tiger Woods chipping in from a bunker.

It had been a long time since she had played in a regular-season WNBA game — about 10 months. Her play with USA Basketball — two training camps and then being named MVP on the World Cup Qualifying Team — was huge because it gave her reassurance in herself and in her body. It was also key because it made the final two months of the offseason about next season rather than rehabbing.

“I feel good,” Clark said postgame. “Started off a little slow. I think, just the anxiety of the first game and trying to work through that. And but overall, I felt good, felt fast out there. Felt like I was literally a couple buckets away from putting together a really, really good game and helping us win.

“But our offense is obviously not the issue. We’re perfectly fine on offense. And there’s still so many things we can do better on that end of the floor.”

The Fever shot 51.9% (but only 7 for 24 from deep), won the inside game, and essentially broke even at the free-throw line — but they were on their heels defensively for most of the game in a 107-104 loss to the Dallas Wings.

The anticipation and excitement were all there. As usual, it was a sellout crowd of 17,274 — with only a few pockets of empty seats. The fans were loud, and the Fever needed the energy as they were outscored in three of four quarters and allowed the Wings to shoot a blistering 59% from the field.

At least five times, Clark gestured to the crowd to make some noise in an effort to make the comeback. It helps.

“We got to be more disciplined,” said head coach Stephanie White, “it’s the difference in their uncontested looks from three and our contested looks from three. Sometimes we were over rotated when we didn’t need to be. Sometimes we had coverage breakdowns unnecessarily.

“We’re hanging around, not going to the offensive boards, but not getting back in transition defense. We gave up a lot in transition. All correctable things … all detail-oriented things.”

The Fever elected to hold out starting forward Monique Billings after she suffered a right ankle sprain one week earlier in their preseason finale. She participated in portions of practice over the last two days, but with only one game over the next five days, the Fever are being cautious and taking advantage of the extra downtime.

Read more

Two stars teamed up for a special moment Saturday night in Indianapolis.

Hours after marking her official return to WNBA action — playing in her first regular-season game since last July — All-Star guard Caitlin Clark joined Morgan Wallen for his walkout before the start of his show at Lucas Oil Stadium, just blocks away from Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

Here’s that moment:

Clark, a well-known country music fan, appeared to enjoy the moment. Fever teammates Sophie Cunningham and Lexie Hull also shared photos and videos from the concert on social media while watching from the pit.

Later in the show, Wallen wore a Tyrese Haliburton Pacers jersey on stage.

Two years ago — during his previous stop in Indianapolis — Wallen made his entrance alongside Haliburton and Pat McAfee.

These sold-out shows were especially meaningful for Wallen because his first-ever sold-out performance in Indianapolis came at 8 Seconds Saloon, located about six miles west of the stadium.

On Friday night, Wallen wore a Peyton Manning Colts jersey, while several members of his stage crew also sported Colts jerseys during the show.

Wallen shared the following video on Instagram after the night:

As a new WNBA season — the 30th in league history — gets underway Friday night, you’ll see Caitlin Clark in more than just Fever games.

The Fever star and most popular player in the WNBA, has an elite list of endorsements, including State Farm.

The insurance provider, headquartered in Bloomington, Illinois, is launching a new marketing campaign highlighting the State Farm stanchion pad, which has appeared on NBA baskets since 2008. It makes the company’s logo visible on both sides of the hoop.

“The State Farm Stanchion Pad really has been there for all major moments on the court — logo 3s, clutch free throws and game-winners,” said Clark. “Getting back on set with the State Farm team always feels natural and it was fun to bring this story to life.”

State Farm is bringing the Stanchion Pad to life by featuring a character who has been watching games from behind the basket all along and “has a lot to say about how State Farm agents show up for their customers,” the company said.

The two new commercials starring Clark alongside the State Farm Stanchion Pad will debut tonight on Opening Night and run throughout the WNBA season.

State Farm has a sponsorship agreement with the Fever, along with a partnership with the WNBA.

"We innovated the branding of the basketball stanchion pad nearly 20 years ago, creating a whole new approach to sports marketing,” said State Farm Chief Marketing Officer Kristyn Cook.

“It's allowed State Farm to be part of the biggest moments in NBA, WNBA and college basketball. The stanchion has stood the test of time, showing up to support the game day in and day out — just like State Farm.”

Both 30-second spots were filmed at Gainbridge Fieldhouse — home of the Fever and Pacers — and can be seen below:

The Fever open the season at 1 p.m. ET on Saturday against the Dallas Wings. The game will air on ABC — and all 44 of Indiana’s regular-season games will be televised nationally.

Clark has also participated in several partnership activations with State Farm, including one during her first All-Star Game in Phoenix in 2024.

Justine Pissott shooting. Lexie Hull going through pre-practice shooting drills. Caitlin Clark working both inside and beyond the arc — each with player development coach Rob Dosier.

That’s part of what was visible Monday morning during the portion of practice open to local reporters.

Who we didn’t see: forward Monique Billings.

Read more

The Fever dominated the Nigeria National Team from start to finish in a 105–57 win Saturday night, closing the preseason at 2–1. In both victories, they topped 100 points.

A crowd of 10,051 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse watched the final tune-up, exactly one week before Opening Day. Kelsey Mitchell led the way with 17 points, Damiris Dantas added 16, and rookie Raven Johnson grabbed a game-high seven rebounds.

Caitlin Clark had 12 points and four assists in 13 minutes.

Lexie Hull (hamstring) and rookie Justine Pissott (lower leg) remain out as a precaution.

All five starters played roughly 12 minutes. Starting forward Monique Billings exited with a right ankle injury but appeared to be OK, returning to the bench and moving around without issue.

The Fever shot 54% from the field and went 19-of-21 at the free-throw line, though they sent Nigeria to the stripe 34 times. Despite committing 18 turnovers, Indiana turned Nigeria’s 25 giveaways into 32 points.

It was 70–29 at halftime in a wire-to-wire win, with the Fever leading by as many as 49.

Nigeria went 0-for-12 from 3-point range, accounting for a 42-point disparity from beyond the arc.

In this postgame recap, I discuss Aliyah Boston and newcomer Ty Harris making their preseason debuts, Boston’s usage as a point-forward, head coach Stephanie White’s takeaways, Mitchell’s view of the team’s progress, and the latest on Billings.

Subscribe now

Interviews