During the Indiana Fever’s media day on Wednesday, 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year Caitlin Clark did not mince words when asked about the team’s expectations this season. Boasting a new coach and revamped roster, the Fever only have one goal in mind.
“Yeah, absolutely,” Clark said, when asked if the team has been “explicit” about wanting to win a title in 2025.
When a reporter followed up, asking what success would look like this season, Clark doubled down: “a championship.”
Clark’s arrival last season put the Fever back on the map. After years of bizarre draft decisions and frequent last-place finishes, they went 20-20, made the playoffs for the first time since 2016 and were transformed into one of the most well-known franchises in all of sports, let alone the WNBA.
Instead of slow-playing their rebuild, the organization went all-in this winter. Kelly Krauskopf and Amber Cox were brought in to lead the front office as the president and general manager, respectively, Stephanie White was hired as coach and they announced plans for a new $78 million practice facility.
On the court, the team swung big trades and made major moves in free agency to re-sign Kelsey Mitchell and acquire a number of veterans, including DeWanna Bonner, Natasha Howard and Sophie Cunningham.
“How lucky are we to have such a good roster and so many people that wanted to be a part of something bigger than themselves,” Clark said. “I’m just really excited. I’m lucky to be here and to have been drafted here last year and for this franchise to put so many great resources in front of us. Whether it’s building the new practice facility, just how much they invest into us and all the resources they provide us. Really just fortunate and excited for our roster.”
Clark’s unique abilities as a playmaker and shooter helped the Fever become one of the best offensive teams in the league last season, but they struggled on the defensive end. And when they got to the playoffs, they lacked the requisite experience in big moments to deal with the veteran Connecticut Sun, who were coached by White and featured Bonner.
The Fever’s front office moved to address both weaknesses, which Clark called “glaring,” and targeted versatile defenders with championship experience. Bonner, notably, is the league’s all-time leader in playoff games, and has won two titles, while Howard is a former Defensive Player of the Year and a three-time champ.
“Having that balance is gonna be rellay good for us,” Clark said. “There’s so many different weapons on this team. There’s a lot of really great leadership, there’s poeple that have won championships, then we have our young core, our young players, a lot of people that are really, really hungry to win.”
The new-look Fever, who started training camp on April 27, will take the floor together for the first time on Saturday when they play the Washington Mystics in their first preseason game. Then, they’ll be on the road to Iowa for another preseason tilt against the Brazilian national team in a homecoming game for Clark.
Their regular-season campaign will tip off on May 17 when they host the Chicago Sky, the first of five meetings between the teams this year.
This news was originally published on this post .
About the author
Dodgers’ Max Muncy calls first homer of season ’emotional’ after cold start
<!--> Max Muncy seemed to unleash a month’s worth of frustration with one swing on Wednesday, sending a 107.7 mph drive 433 feet over the center-field wall for his first home run of the season in the Los Angeles Dodgers' 12-7 victory over the Miami Marlins."It’s not easy," Muncy said, when asked how much of a grind the first month of the season has been. "It’s not easy on me or my family. It’s a privilege to play in LA under this pressure — it’s something I’ve always thrived on — but it doesn’t mean it’s been easy. It’s been a rough month."Muncy, 34, entered the series finale with a .180 average, .531 OPS, no homers and four RBIs in his first 28 games, paltry power numbers for a slugger who had averaged 32 homers a year from 2018-2023.But he […]
Vancouver’s Pedro Vite finds the back of the net vs. Inter Miami
Vancouver's Pedro Vite finds the back of the net vs. Inter Miami | FOX Sports <!--> --> Video Details Vancouver's Pedro Vite found the back of the net vs. Inter Miami. JUST IN・soccer・1:28
Fan stretchered off field after falling from stands during Pirates vs. Cubs
A fan was taken off the field on a stretcher at PNC Park during Wednesday night’s game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago Cubs after falling from the stands in right field.Videos posted on social media showed the fan falling from a section along Clemente Wall in right field and hitting the wall before landing on the warning track.The fan remained motionless while medical crews rushed to aid, placed the fan on a stretcher and walked off the field.This story will be updated.(Photo: Justin K. Aller / Getty Images)
Fan falls over outfield wall during Pirates-Cubs matchup at PNC Park, taken off field on stretcher
A fan at PNC Park fell over the outfield wall and onto the track on Wednesday night during the Pittsburgh Pirates’ matchup with the Chicago Cubs.In the seventh inning of the contest, a man in the right field section at PNC Park suddenly was seen falling headfirst over the outfield wall and crashing down onto the dirt during the middle of a play. The person appeared to jump up before flipping multiple times on his way down about 21 feet to the warning track.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe fan remained down motionless for several minutes a players and officials started to realize what had happened. The incident came right after Andrew McCutchen hit a two-run double, which put the Pirates up 4-3 at the time.After being tended to for about five minutes, the fan was eventually loaded up onto a stretcher and taken off […]
Fan falls from 21-foot Clemente Wall at PNC Park during Cubs-Pirates game
<!--> A fan fell from the 21-foot Clemente Wall in right field at PNC Park during Wednesday night’s game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago Cubs.Right after Andrew McCutchen hit a two-run double in the seventh inning to put the Pirates ahead 4-3, players began waving frantically for medical personnel. The fan was tended to for approximately five minutes, then was removed from the field on a cart.Players from both teams could be seen praying and McCutchen held a cross that hung from his neck while the fan was taken off the field.Reporting by The Associated Press.ADVERTISEMENT --> <!--> recommended Get more from Major League Baseball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more in this topic -->
Floyd Mayweather casually revealed $123 million in one bank account to stunned journalist
Floyd Mayweather has never been shy about flaunting his fortune, but one particular moment stands out even among his countless displays of wealth. Back in 2013, before raking in hundreds of millions more from fights with Manny Pacquiao and Conor McGregor, Mayweather stunned ESPN journalist Tim Keown by casually revealing the balance of his personal bank account. During a visit to a Foot Locker in Grand Rapids,Mayweather called Keown over, made sure no one was watching, and then held out a paper slip. On it was the balance from just one of his accounts: a jaw-dropping $123 million.Floyd Mayweather turns heads courtside with outrageous diamond watch and jewelry displayKeown, who had been granted rare access to Mayweather ahead of his fight with Saul "Canelo" Álvarez, described the moment as surreal. "There is more than $123 million in Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s […]
Related
Dodgers’ Max Muncy calls first homer of season ’emotional’ after cold start
<!--> Max Muncy seemed to unleash a month’s worth of frustration with one swing on Wednesday, sending a 107.7 mph drive 433 feet over the center-field wall for his first home run of the season in the Los Angeles Dodgers' 12-7 victory over the Miami Marlins."It’s not easy," Muncy said, when asked how much of a grind the first month of the season has been. "It’s not easy on me or my family. It’s a privilege to play in LA under this pressure — it’s something I’ve always thrived on — but it doesn’t mean it’s been easy. It’s been a rough month."Muncy, 34, entered the series finale with a .180 average, .531 OPS, no homers and four RBIs in his first 28 games, paltry power numbers for a slugger who had averaged 32 homers a year from 2018-2023.But he […]
Vancouver’s Pedro Vite finds the back of the net vs. Inter Miami
Vancouver's Pedro Vite finds the back of the net vs. Inter Miami | FOX Sports <!--> --> Video Details Vancouver's Pedro Vite found the back of the net vs. Inter Miami. JUST IN・soccer・1:28
Fan stretchered off field after falling from stands during Pirates vs. Cubs
A fan was taken off the field on a stretcher at PNC Park during Wednesday night’s game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago Cubs after falling from the stands in right field.Videos posted on social media showed the fan falling from a section along Clemente Wall in right field and hitting the wall before landing on the warning track.The fan remained motionless while medical crews rushed to aid, placed the fan on a stretcher and walked off the field.This story will be updated.(Photo: Justin K. Aller / Getty Images)
Fan falls over outfield wall during Pirates-Cubs matchup at PNC Park, taken off field on stretcher
A fan at PNC Park fell over the outfield wall and onto the track on Wednesday night during the Pittsburgh Pirates’ matchup with the Chicago Cubs.In the seventh inning of the contest, a man in the right field section at PNC Park suddenly was seen falling headfirst over the outfield wall and crashing down onto the dirt during the middle of a play. The person appeared to jump up before flipping multiple times on his way down about 21 feet to the warning track.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe fan remained down motionless for several minutes a players and officials started to realize what had happened. The incident came right after Andrew McCutchen hit a two-run double, which put the Pirates up 4-3 at the time.After being tended to for about five minutes, the fan was eventually loaded up onto a stretcher and taken off […]
Fan falls from 21-foot Clemente Wall at PNC Park during Cubs-Pirates game
<!--> A fan fell from the 21-foot Clemente Wall in right field at PNC Park during Wednesday night’s game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago Cubs.Right after Andrew McCutchen hit a two-run double in the seventh inning to put the Pirates ahead 4-3, players began waving frantically for medical personnel. The fan was tended to for approximately five minutes, then was removed from the field on a cart.Players from both teams could be seen praying and McCutchen held a cross that hung from his neck while the fan was taken off the field.Reporting by The Associated Press.ADVERTISEMENT --> <!--> recommended Get more from Major League Baseball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more in this topic -->
Floyd Mayweather casually revealed $123 million in one bank account to stunned journalist
Floyd Mayweather has never been shy about flaunting his fortune, but one particular moment stands out even among his countless displays of wealth. Back in 2013, before raking in hundreds of millions more from fights with Manny Pacquiao and Conor McGregor, Mayweather stunned ESPN journalist Tim Keown by casually revealing the balance of his personal bank account. During a visit to a Foot Locker in Grand Rapids,Mayweather called Keown over, made sure no one was watching, and then held out a paper slip. On it was the balance from just one of his accounts: a jaw-dropping $123 million.Floyd Mayweather turns heads courtside with outrageous diamond watch and jewelry displayKeown, who had been granted rare access to Mayweather ahead of his fight with Saul "Canelo" Álvarez, described the moment as surreal. "There is more than $123 million in Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s […]
Be the first to leave a comment