Fever have granted Caitlin Clark two wishes every fan has begged for

When the Fever drafted Caitlin Clark in 2024 and paired her with Aliyah Boston, the top pick from the previous draft, they immediately became a playoff team. Once in the playoffs, the Fever were no match for the veteran Connecticut Sun, though. Indiana’s lack of depth, defense, and veteran experience was on full display. 

In the offseason, the front office did its best to remedy those shortcomings and largely succeeded. The Fever have a better supporting cast around Clark, including players who will stand up for her, and experienced veterans to help guide the younger players on the team. 

The Fever’s top eight is much improved compared to last season 

Depth matters in the WNBA. So does the talent of your top eight players, though. Once games are close or the playoffs come around, those top eight players will be on the court most. They will decide the outcome of many games. 

Last season, the Fever’s top players in minutes per game were Caitlin Clark, Kelsey Mitchell, Aliyah Boston, NaLyssa Smith, Lexie Hull, Temi Fagbenle, Katie Lou Samuelson, Kristy Wallace, and Erica Wheeler. Now, the Fever’s most important players are Clark, Mitchell, Hull, Boston, Natasha Howard, Sophie Cunningham, DeWanna Bonner, and Sydney Colson. 

While Fagbenle and Wheeler are playing great for the Valkyries and Storm, the Fever dramatically improved the roster around Clark and Boston. The defensive improvement has been especially obvious. A significantly better supporting cast may be all Clark needs to lead the Fever on a deep playoff run.

The Fever’s new supporting cast includes an enforcer

Besides general defensive talent, the Fever also lacked some toughness and players willing to stand up for themselves and their teammates. Sophie Cunningham answers both of those issues. 

Cunningham is a versatile, gritty defender. She can guard point guards, shooting guards, and small forwards and even switch onto power forwards if necessary. That versatility, paired with a solid 3-point shot, makes her the perfect reserve for a Fever team in need of 3-and-D players around Clark and Boston. 

Cunningham also gives the Fever an enforcer, someone who will stand up for her teammates. She showed that in the Fever’s win over the Connecticut Sun. The game had big implications. A win would help the Fever secure a trip to the Commissioner’s Cup final. 

The Sun had already beaten the Fever once and were obviously hungry for another win amid a brutal season. They played tough, physical defense, trying to contain Caitlin Clark. That physicality resulted in a few scuffles, involving Clark, Jacy Sheldon, Marina Mabrey, and a few technical fouls. 

Cunningham didn’t tolerate the Sun’s plays and answered with a foul (that didn’t injure anyone) on Sheldon. While players should avoid taking confrontations like this too far, it is good to see a Fever player stand up for her teammates instead of enduring the physicality with no answer. The Fever do not want to be known as a team that can be pushed around.