Where ESPN ranks Caitlin Clark-led young Fever core in WNBA
The Indiana Fever are ready to make some noise in the playoffs this season. Indiana is just 3-4 after losing Caitlin Clark for a few weeks with a quad injury. Fever fans have plenty of reasons for optimism about the future, regardless of the slow start to the 2025 WNBA season.
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ESPN's Neil Paine released an article on Thursday that ranks the young players on each WNBA roster. It should be no surprise that the Fever ranked No.1 on Paine's list.
'It's no surprise to see the Fever here with the brightest group of young stars in the WNBA,' Paine wrote. 'With Clark and Boston, Indiana has the No. 1 picks from the 2023 and 2024 drafts — each of whom went on to win Rookie of the Year in back-to-back seasons as well. When healthy (and both have been extremely durable throughout college and the pros, up until Clark's recent injury), no team has a dynamic duo this good and this young.'
The Fever have an average age of 28.5 years old, which is the sixth youngest in the W. That number is skewed a little higher because of the addition of 37-year-old veteran DeWanna Bonner this offseason.
Paine also gave a shout out to Fever guard Lexie Hull who has thrived since the arrival of Caitlin Clark.
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'Don't sleep on Hull, either; the fourth-year guard out of Stanford has improved each year of her WNBA career and is tracking for a breakout performance.'
The future is bright for the Indiana Fever.
Fever get first win of 2025 season without Caitlin Clark
© Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
No Caitlin Clark, no problem?
The Fever finally put together an impressive performance without superstar Caitlin Clark on Tuesday. Indiana got its first win of the season without Clark in a 85-76 victory over Washington.
Indiana looked like a different team with Aari McDonald at point guard. The Fever added McDonald on Monday via the W's emergency hardship exception.
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Fever head coach Stephanie White gave McDonald her flowers after the game.
'Aari, hell of a job,' White said, pumping up McDonald's teammates in the locker room. 'You were awesome, you came in and you impacted the ball game. You settled us down, you were aggressive, your defense set the tone. Hell of a job.'
McDonald logged seven points, five assists, and one rebound in 27 minutes against the Mystics.
McDonald may have earned herself a role on the team, even after Clark returns from injury.
Next up for Indiana is a primetime matchup against Chicago on Saturday night.
Related: Fever's Caitlin Clark provides massive injury update
Related: Dawn Staley drops Caitlin Clark all-time prediction
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