The Indiana Fever have high expectations in year two with generational superstar Caitlin Clark. After Clark won the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year and was named to the All-WNBA First Team, the Fever underwent multiple changes to rebuild around their new superstar.
Their first big move was resigning Kelsey Mitchell to a one-year, super-max deal worth 249,244 dollars. Mitchell is coming off her best season as a Fever player, averaging 19.2 points on 46.8 percent shooting from the field and 40.2 percent from beyond the three-point line.
The Fever also signed veterans DeWanna Bonner (Connecticut Sun) and Natasha Howard (Dallas Wings) and traded for super sub Sophie Cunningham (Phoenix Mercury).
The new-look roster was accompanied by new head coach Stephanie White, a former Fever head coach and player.
Expectations could not be higher for Clark and the Fever, who are projected WNBA title contenders. Entering the 2025 WNBA season, Clark was projected as the odds-on favorite to win the 2025 MVP Award.
On May 26, the Fever announced that Clark suffered a left quadricep injury in their previous game against the New York Liberty. She will miss at least two weeks, and her MVP odds took a massive dive following the announcement.
Clark went from the favorite at even money to the second favorite at plus-money within minutes of the news of her injury. The more games she misses, the more ground she will have to make up in the MVP race.
The Fever will also have to play without their superstar for the first time since selecting her No. 1 overall in the 2024 WNBA Draft.
The Fever have plenty of capable scorers to replace Clark's overall production (team-leading 19.0 points per game), but have a much more challenging task replacing her passing prowess. Clark led the WNBA in assists per game (9.3) before suffering the quad injury.
The Fever must survive without their superstar for at least two weeks, and if the injury lingers, they could find themselves on the outside looking in regarding the playoff picture.