The Fever continues to build on their success of last year, as they will have 41 of their 44 games featured on a national broadcast. It is historic as it makes the most national TV games for a single team in WNBA history! The success was led by Caitlin Clark, who, in her rookie year, led them to a 20-20 season and a first-round playoff berth. So, with so much hype behind them after last season, the front office made some changes. But will they work out as expected? Rachel De Mita had her two cents.
“Because obviously last season, they didn’t have as stacked of a team as they do now. So, Kelsey Mitchell and Caitlin Clark really found their groove.” On her YouTube channel, she dubbed them as the best backcourt in the W but wondered if the scoring would continue. “But now they have more scorers around the perimeter; they have DeWanna Bonner in, they have Natasha Howard coming in, they have Sophie Cunningham coming in. They’ll probably have Lexi coming off the bench like they have threats all over the floor.”
The front office, with the addition of the coach Stephanie White, brought other player additions to better the 6th season finish last year. The new additions and their impact are yet to be seen on the court. But will it be as smooth as it was for the ROTY? De Mita is not sure. “So are Kelsey Mitchell and Caitlyn Clark’s, really across the board? Aaliyah Boston, are their scoring numbers going to go down because there are more threats? Are they going to go up because they won’t have as much attention on them?” In her video, she was breaking down the top 20 WNBA players this season as per Bleacher Report.
Mitchell was #18 on the list. “We will just have to see; I’m glad Kelsey Mitchell is in the top 20,” and De Mita feels that the Fever star’s ranking will improve eventually during the season. “Like having her at 18 is still pretty low. I feel like Kelsey Mitchell still has more to prove, and I’m excited to see how she gels with the rest of the Indiana Fever team.”
Last season, the veteran guard scored 19.2 points per game; it was her best scoring season. Apart from that, she was overall #8 in scoring charts behind the Hawkeye alum, who also had the same average.
Looking at Caitlin Clark’s reaction to the off-season addition
Even Clark is excited about how things will be different: “They know what it takes to win, they know what it takes to get to the Finals, they know what it takes to win championships. I think it’s exactly what we needed in our locker room.” The 23-year-old was on board with the signings, and why shouldn’t she be?
Oct 14, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) and guard Kelsey Mitchell (0) take in the game between the Indiana Pacers and the Memphis Grizzlies at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
Bonner, a two-time champion, comes with the hunger to add one more. Natasha Howard, with three rings and a DPOY to her name, brings invaluable Finals experience. The Head Coach also praised the additions as she looks forward to a third season with the Fever, after her previous stints in 2015 and 16.“We’ve surrounded our big three with great veteran players who complement them, and I think we’ve done that. We were fortunate to do both (free agency and adding depth). It puts us in a position to compete.”
No doubt the signings help in the defensive ability for the Fever as it was a chink in the armor last season. But let’s have realistic expectations since Fever isn’t going to go from the league’s worst defense to the league’s best overnight. The Indiana outfit will definitely hope that the veterans build a new and better defensive culture and mentor younger players. But will it be that smooth? Only time will tell.
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