Ranking the 25 best Indiana Fever players since 2000

Indianapolis Star

16-07-2025

IndyStar is spending the summer looking at the best athletes from Indiana sports teams since 2000. Here is our list of the 25 best Indiana Fever players since the 2000:
Stats: 15 years, 41.5%, 35.6% on 3s, 16.1 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 3.3 apg, 2.4 spg, .8 bpg
We use win shares -- a single number that is supposed to capture a player's value -- to create a framework of this list. It's far from perfect -- it over-values rebounds, for example -- but Catchings had 93.7 wins shares in her Fever career ... it'd take the next six players on the list to match Catchings' total.
Of all these list, Catchings at No. 1 for the Fever is the easiest pick. She was a 10-time all-star, the 2002 Rookie of the Year, a 5-time defensive player of the year, the 2011 MVP, the 2012 Finals MVP and if all that isn't enough she won league community awards four times and the sportsmanship award twice. She averaged 16.1 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 3.3 apg, 2.4 spg for her career. She is, simply, one of the greatest basketball players of all-time.
Stats (thru 7/14/25): 2 years, 40.7%, 33.2% on 3s, 5.5 rpg, 8.6 apg, 1.4 spg, 18.6 ppg
Too high this soon? Yeah, but it seemed silly putting her anywhere else given her immediate impact on not only the WNBA but women's sports. She won the 2024 rookie of the year award, was an all-star, first team all-WNBA, led the league in 3-pointers (and attempts) and assists, while scoring 19.2 ppg and leading the Fever back to the playoffs after a long stretch as the worst franchise in North American pro sports.
Stats: 6 years, 41.8%, 38.0% on 3s, 3.8 rpg, 2.8 apg, 1.5 spg, 15.4 ppg
She returned to her hometown of Indianapolis when she joined the Fever in 2008 and made two all-star teams. She shot 38.0% on 3s and averaged 15.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.5 steals per game back in Indiana. Douglas made second team all-defense twice, was second team All-NBA twice and finished third in the MVP race in 2009.
Stats: 9 years, 38.1%, 36.9% on 3s, 3.6 apg, 1.1 spg, 9.0 ppg
Took a few years for January to hit her stride offensively but she was a contributor on defense immediately. Once January got in the starting lineup in 2012, she would make first team all-defense four times and second team twice, finishing third in the defensive player of the year voting in 2014. She was an all-star in 2014, shot as high as 43.1% on 3s, and averaged as many as 4.7 assists and 10.3 points with the Fever.
Stats (thru 7/14): 8 years, 42.9%, 37.8% on 3s, 2.8 apg, 17.0 ppg
The one player the Fever could count on during the post-Catchings dark time, Mitchell could easily be No. 3 on this list by the end of this season. A three-time All-Star, Mitchell can score, averaging 17.8 points per game each of the last 5 seasons, peaking at 19.2 last season. She averaged as many as 4.2 assists, shot at least 39.8% on 3s the three previous season and has improved on defense.
Stats (thru 7/14): 3 years, 55.9%, 8.5 rpg, 2.9 apg, 1.0 spg, 1.2 bpg, 14.6 ppg
Should Boston be third on this list since Clark is second? Perhaps. The No. 3-6 spots could change soon. She was the 2023 rookie of the year and has made the all-star team her first three seasons. Boston averaged more than 14 points, 8 rebounds and 1 block her first two seasons and has improved in Year 3.
Stats: 6 years, 40.1%, 34.1% on 3s, 2.4 apg, 1.8 spg, 5.6 ppg
A 5-year starter for the Fever, she shot 40.1% overall, 34.8% on 3s, in averaging 5.6 points, 2.4 assists and 1.8 steals but she made her mark on defense. Bevilaqua was recognized as one of the WNBA's top defensive players immediately upon joining the Fever, making first team all-defense four times and second team twice in her six seasons in Indiana.
Stats: 6 years, 47.3%, 4.7 rpg, 1.4 bpg, 8.5 ppg
Sutton-Brown joined the Fever in 2007 and was an all-star, averaging 12.0 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.4 blocks. She dipped a bit statistically every year after that but started 183 of her 195 games with the Fever, averaging 8.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in six seasons, retiring after the 2012 season. She was one of the top scorers on some very good Fever teams three times.
Stats: 2 years, 43.9%, 33.3% on 3s, 4.9 rpg, 1.0 spg, 13.2 ppg
She made her only all-star team in her first season with the Fever in 2006, shooting 45.7%, 39.5% on 3s, 15.5 points and 4.9 rebounds, finishing second in Most Improved Player award voting. Whitmore's game slipped the following season -- 41.5% shooting, 30.0% on 3s, 10.9 ppg -- and she moved on to Connecticut in 2008.
Stats: 2 years, 40.4%, 39.2% on 3s, 3.8 rpg, 1.0 spg, 9.5 ppg
DeForge made the all-star team in 2007, her second season with the Fever, shooting 41.0% on 3s, 8.7 points and 3.3 rebounds. She arguably had a better season in 2006 -- 10.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 37.8% on 3s -- but didn't make the all-star team.
Stats: 4 years, 48.1%, 5.7 rpg, 2.1 apg, 13.4 ppg
A five-time all-star before joining the Fever in 2017, she made two more all-star teams and was one of the few bright spots in the Fever's dark ages. Dupree shot 49.4% 5.8 rpg and 15.0 ppg in 2017, has another strong year in 2018 (48.8%, 6.4 rpg, 14.2 ppg) and then made another all-star team at 34, shooting 47.2%, with 5.0 rpg, 2.5 apg and 11.6 ppg.
Stats: 3 years, 45.6%, 6.6 rpg, 1.2 spg, 10.4 ppg
Williams was 32 when she joined the Fever in 2003 after being one of the WNBA's best players its first three seasons. She made the all-star game, averaging 13.4 points and 7.4 rebounds, in her first season, hit double digits again the following season (10.3 ppg, 6.9 rebounds) but her play dipped in 2005 and she was out of the league.
Stats: 6 years, 39.9%, 31.5% on 3s, 2.6 rpg, 8.9 ppg
After a promising rookie year in Detroit in 2009, Zellous struggled, landing in Indiana in 2010. After providing scoring off the bench her first two seasons with the Fever (5.9 and 5.6 ppg in 15.5 and 14.0 mpg, respectively), she started a three-year run averaging 11.0 points as a starter, winning most improved player and making the all-star team in 2013. Zellous finished third in the sixth player award voting in 2015, her final seasons with the Fever.
Stats: 7 years, 41.0%, 35.0% on 3s, 4.8 rpg, 1.0 spg, 6.4 ppg
A versatile role player her first four seasons -- including averaging 6.4 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 2006 as a full-time starter -- Hoffman continued to get better and took a step up in 2008, winning most improved player. Over the next three years she'd average 9.4 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.4 steals and shoot 36.5% on 3s before leaving the Fever for Los Angeles.
Stats: 6 years, 56.7%, 6.3 rpg, 1.1 spg, 6.6 ppg
Larkins hadn't started a game in the league -- or played at all in one the two previous seasons -- when she joined the Fever in 2012. She became a valuable role player, shooting 56.7% from the field, 6.3 rebounds and 6.6 points in 6 seasons. Her best season was 2014 when she averaged 9.7 points, 9.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.9 steals and .8 blocks per game.
Stats: 3 years, 37.9%, 34.9% on 3s, 3.1 rpg, 2.0 spg, 10.2 ppg
A starter on the first Fever team in 2000, Williams averaged 11.0 points, 3.2 assists and 2.4 steals, then made the all-star team in 2001, averaging 11.9 points, 3.6 assists and 2.3 steals, shooting better than 37% on 3s both seasons. Williams' game dropped off significantly in 2002 and she was out of the league in 2004.
Stats: 3 years, 53.0%, 8.8 rpg, 1.3 bpg, 10.7 ppg
The No. 3 pick in the 2019 draft never seem to reach those expectations in three seasons with the Fever, though she was productive. McCowan averaged 10.7 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in Indiana despite starting just 49 of her 88 games.
Stats: 3 years, 45.8%, 33.0% on 3s, 8.0 rpg, 13.0 ppg
The second overall pick in the 2022 draft was productive in 3 seasons with the quickly improving Fever, averaging 15.5 ppg on 47.7% shooting and 9.2 rpg in 2023 but was the odd woman out after Clark arrived and traded following the 2024 season, expressing dissatisfaction with a reduced role.
Stats: 4 years, 42.5%, 35.6% on 3s, 3.7 rpg, 2.1 apg, 1.1 spg, 9.5 ppg
Johnson joined the Fever in 2015 and established herself as a player on the rise, finishing second in most improved player after averaging 10.9 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.4 assists, was fourth in the sixth player award voting the following season with 9.8 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.1 assists. But after averaging 11.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.5 steals in 2017, an ACL injury derailed her career.
Stats: 2 years, 41.1%, 36.7% on 3s, 2.9 rpg, 2.8 apg, 1.1 spg, 10.2 ppg
Miller was the second overall pick by Charlotte in 2001 but never got a start in three years with the Sting. She moved to Indiana in 2004, stepped into the starting lineup and averaged 10.2 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists and shot 36.7% on 3s. She was named the WNBA's most improved player in 2004. She was the second-leading scorer on the first good Fever team.
Stats: 3 years, 41.6%, 44.5% on 3s, 2.1 apg, 7.0 ppg
Phillips immediately established herself as an elite 3-point shooter when she joined the Fever in 2011 after not playing in the WNBA the previous season. She'd shoot 44.5% on 3s in her three seasons with Fever, and was a valuable role player on the 2012 champs.
Stats: 4 years, 36.7%, 30.3% on 3s, 1.0 spg, 9.2 ppg
White joined the Fever in 2005, the same season the franchise began to establish itself as on the WNBA's best teams behind Tamika Catchings. White was a volume scorer off the bench for her first three seasons and moved into the starting lineup in 2008 before leaving the Fever.
Stats: 4 years, 36.7%, 32.6% on 3s, 3.0 rpg, 8.2 ppg
She was an all-star in 2015, her second season with the Fever, and a four-year starter as Takima Catchings' career was winding down. Coleman was a versatile player but needed a lot of shots to score her points, dropping her down this list.
Stats: 6 years, 40.0%, 32.4% on 3s, 3.8 apg, 8.5 ppg
Wheeler hadn't started a game in three years before joining the Fever in 2016 and would start 149 of the 215 games she appeared in over two stints with the Fever. Wheeler was an all-star in 2019, shooting 42.6% overall, 38.4% on 3s, with 5.0 apg, 1.2 spg and 10.1 ppg. Wheeler sat out the COVID-19 season of 2020, then played in Los Angeles and Atlanta before returning to the Fever for two seasons in 2023.
Stats: 4 years, 52.4%, 3.2 rpg, .9 bpg, 7.1 ppg