3 Questions the Indiana Fever Still Need to Answer This Preseason
The Indiana Fever got off to an impressive start after defeating the New York Liberty in their first preseason game of 2026.
Preseason isn't used to count wins and losses, but rather to thoroughly evaluate which pieces are going to smoothly integrate into head coach Stephanie White's rotation and around the team's three All-Stars. The Fever completely revamped the back end of their bench giving them some solid options to compete alongside their top-tier core talent.
It's early, but some questions still need to be answered before the start of the regular season.
Did the Fever Find the Answer in the Frontcourt?
The Fever have one of the most solid pieces in the middle with three-time All-Star Aliyah Boston. However, it's become apparent in recent years that they've lacked some depth in this area of the floor. The biggest concern that comes with this is the Fever lacking options should injuries once again debilitate them. With Natasha Howard departing in free agency, the starting role next to Boston needs to be filled as well.
They do still have Sophie Cunningham, who is capable of playing up at the four, but plays most efficiently on the perimeter, making it less likely they will want to use her at this position on a consistent basis. Makayla Timpson enters her second season and showed flashes of effectively controlling things inside the paint with her efficient rebounding - thanks to her 6'10 wingspan. Damiris Dantas also returns, bringing size inside and a stretch option as a shooter. But the Fever have some new options in the frontcourt.
They added a couple of pieces during free agency bringing in Monique Billings, who was one of the most seamless fits available, and Myisha Hines-Allen, who brings versatility and physicality. The Fever suddenly have solid options with this rotation given that both players provide a good mix of rebounding efficiency and interior toughness.
Billings proved in their first preseason game that she can play in the system with Caitlin Clark—and seems poised to thrive. Billings' ability to set screens for Clark was put on full display and she seems poised to be the starter and a key contributor.
As for Hines-Allen, the Fever hope she can find the form she flashed earlier in her career. But identifying the right mix of players up front to keep the team's uptempo attack thriving without sacrificing too much size will be key.
Can the Fever Establish a Top-Tier Defense?
The defense of the Indiana Fever saw massive improvements in head coach Stephanie White's first season back at the helm. They allowed an average of 81.5 points per game and finished the 2025 season ranked 7th in the WNBA in defensive rating after ranking 11th out of 12 teams the year prior.
They took another step to improve on that end this offseason by drafting the SEC Defensive Player of the Year, Raven Johnson out of South Carolina. By first glance, Johnson will turn out to be just what the Fever needed to develop a defensive identity. She brings speed and is a pest for opposing teams, and it showed during her first professional outing. Johnson finished the game against the Liberty with 3 rebounds, 1 steal and 2 blocks in just 18 minutes making a strong first impression.
Johnson will certainly help the Fever in perimeter defense providing aid for their backcourt defensive weaknesses. Opposing teams also can't forget about Lexie Hull, who quickly established herself as one of the team's best defenders last season. Hull was near the top of the WNBA in offensive fouls drawn.
The Fever have one of the best defensive minded coaches in the WNBA with Briann January and she's had them busy all of camp with every intention of making the Fever a top three defense.
Day 3 of Fever camp. More defense to start with Briann January pic.twitter.com/QgC6Hwo1wR
— Scott Agness (@ScottAgness) April 21, 2026
Billings and Hines-Allen can also help on that end, as the Fever know they'll have to slow down opponents in order to truly be a contender.
Can Stephanie White Find the Right Balance with Rotation?
The Fever completed the 2025 season on an impressive run and quite frankly, White doesn't get enough credit for this. There was no other coach in the WNBA last season that faced the level adversity and decision making that she had to do given the revolving door of player acquisitions due to the team's number of injuries. It's a new season but the spotlight will remain on White and the Fever as she will now be tasked with balancing the team's talent and rotation, all while determining how much workload to place on Clark after her 2025 season was cut short due to injury.
They've added pieces, but now it all has to fit together and with that comes decisions being made as preseason goes along.
The Fever's bench players were for the most part impressive in the first preseason game. Indiana signed second round pick Justine Pissott to a development deal, but it was third round pick Jessica Timmons who turned heads with her solid outing against New York. She finished with 10 points in just 14 minutes showing early signs that she can quickly adapt and could be in line for the other development spot.
Shatori Walker-Kimbrough also impressed after she tied Kelsey Mitchell's point total with 18, which will likely make her a lock for the 12th and final regular roster spot when it's all said and done. Guard Tyasha Harris, who was signed as a free agent, has yet to make her debut with the team after being held out of the first preseason contest as part of her injury recovery. So White still has some evaluating to do when it comes to deciding which players will see the floor on a night-in and night-out basis.
White, who has never had a losing season during her WNBA coaching career, will have much more depth to choose from when compared to last season, so it is on her to find the right combinations under better conditions.
She has preached for the team to play fast and defend, now she gets to choose the personnel that can meet those goals.
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Lindsay Burke covers women’s basketball for Indiana Fever On SI and Women’s Fastbreak On SI. She graduated from Purdue University Fort Wayne with a Bachelor's Degree in journalism and a minor in media production. Early in her career she covered ECHL hockey, the NFL and college football and has since expanded her expertise to the WNBA and the Fever franchise.
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