“There’s no substitute for experience,” said Stephanie White. If there’s one thing the Indiana Fever have after this offseason, it’s experience. That sentiment holds even more true now with the Fever ready to make a splash. Indiana is now years removed from being a WNBA laughingstock and is armoring up for a charge at the league. The face of that charge? Caitlin Clark.
The Fever’s free agency splash had everyone talking this offseason. By signing DeWanna Bonner and Natasha Howard and pairing them with a core of Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston, and Kelsey Mitchell, this team is no longer dreaming of championships — they’re here and going for them. Both ESPN and WNBA.com listed the Fever as winners of the 2025 free agency spree, and for good reason. This is a team to watch next season.
Interestingly, their new identity isn’t just about the players on the court. The Fever is also investing in its future with a $78 million practice facility. Which is set to break ground in downtown Indianapolis. The 108,000-square-foot complex will include everything from regulation-sized practice courts to a spa-like recovery area, complete with hydrotherapy pools and infrared light therapy. This is a team that’s looking to be not only a WNBA contender but a leader in innovation and player care.
Rachel DeMita said it best: “The Indiana Fever is the destination not only for women’s basketball, but this is America’s team. This is the team that everyone’s going to have their eyes on, and I want to talk about that.” It’s hard to argue with such a statement when you consider Caitlin Clark and her contributions to the game. Her impact was immediately felt after being selected first overall in the 2024 WNBA Draft, right from the moment she was drafted.
During Clark’s rookie season, the Iowa standout was breaking attendance records and averaging over a million viewers each game. Clark isn’t just one of the more popular players that women’s basketball has seen in a long time. Her popularity alone has brought the Indiana Fever to the forefront of women’s sports. However, the Fever’s ascension goes deeper than Caitlin’s stardom, as the group is generating a new fanbase, too. Only 5% of the Fever’s fans also attended Indiana Pacers games, meaning they’re pulling in an entirely new crowd — one that cares about supporting women’s sports. That’s an important stat in expanding the reach of the WNBA, making the Fever one of the league’s most important teams.
The Fever isn’t just stacked with Caitlin Clark; they’re also built around her. With veterans like Bonner and Howard, the Fever will have star power surrounding Clark. These moves signal that the team is serious about contending with youth and veterans. A roster like that has the potential to turn heads in 2025.
America’s Team: Indiana Fever’s vision for the future with Caitlin Clark
But it’s not just the players on the court who are shaking things up for the Fever. The team’s front office has been revamped, too. Most notably, Kelly Krauskopf is back as president of basketball and business operations. She returns after overseeing the Fever’s roster from 2000 to 2018. “We’re about winning,” Krauskopf said in her press conference. Lucky for the Fever, they have Krauskopf, who said building the team around Caitlin Clark is parallel to how she built an Indiana team around Tamika Catchings in 2012 when the Fever won their first championship.
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) celebrates with fans behind the basket Friday, Aug. 16, 2024, during the game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Krauskopf’s logic is clear: CC is the ticket to getting the Fever going. With Clark generating the attention, talent will follow. She will raise the level of all around her. And if, in the meantime, a little of the success bleeds into the Indiana Fever, making them an attractive landing spot for the top free agents-to-come, what a happy coincidence!
But Krauskopf’s ambitions for the Fever go beyond basketball. Her hope is to foster a brand that is bigger than sports, one that is a staple brand in every home. “We want to be a leader in the country, and an enduring brand like Apple,” Krauskopf said. It’s a lofty goal, but if Krauskopf is able to vault the Fever into the American pop culture landscape in the way she envisions, the Fever could be a tour de force not only in the WNBA, but in American sports culture.
So, when you zoom out and consider everything the Indiana Fever is doing at the moment. It is difficult to disagree with Rachel DeMita’s hot take: This is America’s team. Between Caitlin Clark leading the way and a team full of talent around her, the Fever put herself in a position to succeed both on and off the court. What the team is chasing is not only a championship but a legacy. Win the 2025 title or not, the Fever have already left their mark that will reverberate all across America.
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