Indiana Fever 2025 WNBA Season Preview: The Upgrades, Questions, and What To Expect
The Indiana Fever roster has undergone a major facelift ahead of the 2025 WNBA season, with more than half the team traded, waived, or signed elsewhere—not to mention a whole revamp of the front office and coaching staff. The moves were anything but random as newly appointed GM, Amber Cox emphasized that the franchise focused on bringing in veteran leadership and bolstering the defense.
Gone | Added |
|---|---|
Temi Fagbenle | DeWanna Bonner |
Grace Berger | Natasha Howard |
Victaria Saxton | Sophie Cunningham |
Katie Lou Samuelson | Sydney Colson |
Erica Wheeler | Brianna Turner |
Kristy Wallace | Jaelyn Brown (Training Camp) |
NaLyssa Smith | Jillian Alleyne (Training Camp) |
Makayla Timpson (Rookie) | |
Bree Hall (Rookie) | |
Yvonne Ejim (Rookie) |
But the big question is, how will all these changes actually play out on the court?
What They Were Missing
The Fever got off to a rocky start last season, struggling to find a rhythm and build team chemistry. Indiana's defensive rating ranked eleventh in the league… out of twelve teams.
And while coming back from the Olympic break the Fever looked like a new team, going 8-2 upon play resuming and topping the league in offensive ranking over that span, they fell short in the playoffs. A lack of bench depth and posteason experience showed, and facing off against one of the WNBA’s most elite defenses in the Connecticut Sun proved to be too tall an order for the young squad.
How They Improved
To combat the squad's shortcomings on defense, inexperience and depth deficiencies, Fever president Kelly Krauskopf, Cox, and new coach Stephanie White spared no expense adding DeWanna Bonner, Natasha Howard, Sydney Colson, Brianna Turner and Sophie Cunningham.
Bonner, Howard, Turner, and Cunningham bring a much-needed defensive boost and injection of toughness. While Colson provides crucial depth at point guard, an area where the Fever struggled last season. This was exhibited when Caitlin Clark would walk off the court to take a rest and the offense often looked like a train without a conductor.
They are all vets and many come clad with championship rings, bringing some much needed experience and leadership that make a difference deep into the season.
What To Watch Out For
The Fever front office has stated time and time again they were focused on constructing a team around the ‘Big Three,’ Clark, Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell. Coach White has spoken about the importance of balancing each star’s strengths while addressing their individual weaknesses. This of course sounds good on paper, but the challenge lies in execution.
Clark and Mitchell still need to develop on the defensive end, and Boston on expanding her range beyond the paint. The key is striking a balance. For instance, asking Clark and Mitchell to ramp up defensively could take some of the wind out of the offensive firepower that makes them so dangerous, simply due to fatigue. However, with additional scoring surrounding them, perhaps that issue can be alleviated. Though it remains to be seen how quickly all the new pieces will be integrated.
The Verdict
The pros far outweigh the cons, and in the end, the Fever have assembled a formidable roster. With a team full of seasoned veterans, and an elite young core, Indiana is poised to make serious noise this season. The blueprint is there. Now it’s just a matter of building chemistry and locking in the right rotations. It'd be surprising if the Fever drop below a 3 seed (4 if being conservative), but it certainly wouldn't be shocking to see this hungry squad head to the WNBA Finals in 2025.
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Rosalina Lee is one of the premiere content creators in the women’s basketball space. She has written for such companies as Red Bull Sports and has teamed up with notable brands such as Madison Square Garden, going behind the scenes with the New York Knicks and Rangers. She is currently offering analysis and fresh takes into the world of women’s basketball on her YouTube channel, and now with Indiana Fever On SI and Women's Fastbreak On SI, keeping fans in the loop with all the latest action!
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