Fever's Push for Pace Puts Caitlin Clark in Her Element—And She Knows It
The Indiana Fever want to play fast, and they aren't hiding it.
This should come as no surprise given the roster construction in the offseason, as the team brought in players who can flourish playing with pace.
Power forward pickup Monique Billings excels at running the floor, and the guard-heavy roster should allow the team to consistently keep the pedal to the metal.
When Caitlin Clark was asked about how the guards brought in could help her and let her play off the ball at times, she answered diplomatically, while also making it clear how she believes she and the team will be at their best.
"I think I'm the best transition player in the league. That's where I thrive, everybody knows that's my game. So, getting the ball off the rebound or in transition, that's probably when I'm going to be the primary ball handler more than anything," Clark said.
Caitlin Clark at Fever media day, via @chloepeterson67:
— Underdog WNBA (@UnderdogWNBA) April 22, 2026
"I think I'm the best transition player in the league. That's where I thrive."pic.twitter.com/K6J4Tkx3GQ
"Getting off the ball a little bit and catching your breath. It is exhausting bringing the ball up 94-feet versus pressure every single time. So, we certainly need to find somebody who can handle the ball a little bit and give me a little bit of a break. And I think Raven [Johnson] and Ty [Harris], and even other people through camp, Tori's [Shatori Walker-Kimbrough] done a great job, you know Kels [Kelsey Mitchell] does it a little bit and even our fours and fives can do that. You saw AB [Aliyah Boston] last year when we were really in trouble injury wise. I think there's a lot of different things that can give us a lot of different looks and that just makes us harder to guard," she added.
Even if referencing taking a break, Clark pushed for a breakneck pace, while also reinforcing that she'll be the one setting the pace.
Clark is not alone in emphasizing the team's desire to run. General manager Amber Cox also spoke on media day and had this to say about the style of play when talking about building around the core.
"It was about finding those complementary pieces, not only in the locker room but with the way we want to play. We want to play uptempo," Cox stated.
This adds to what Fever coach Stephanie White said when training camp opened. White set goals of getting better on the defensive end, while also getting out and running.
"We'll hopefully be a better rebounding team as well, and that will allow us to play a little bit more in transition. We were limited because of not just our personnel, but our numbers, in terms of being able to pressure full-court, being able to play with pace. I think we were like fifth in the league in pace, and we want to be in the top two or three," White said.
Indiana Fever Are Built to Run
White was correct. The Fever indeed ranked fifth in pace in 2025, after placing second in Clark's rookie campaign in 2024. The good news is the difference between fifth and first was small and a healthy Clark should close that gap singlehandedly.
Clark missed the majority of last season due to injury but immediately led Team USA in both points and assists during the FIBA World Cup qualifers in March, proving her point guard prowess remains intact. She will rejoin a Fever team featuring a backcourt mate in Mitchell, who may be the fastest player in the league, wings like Lexie Hull and Sophie Cunningham, who can spread the floor with their shooting, and a new runningmate and pick-and-roll partner in Billings.
All of that should make it easier for her to transition back into WNBA play and get out in transition. Because that's how the Fever are built, and that's how Clark knows she'll thrive.
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Robin Lundberg is a media veteran and hoops head who has spent the bulk of his career with iconic brands like Sports Illustrated and ESPN. His insights have also been featured on platforms such as Fox and CNN and he can currently be heard hosting shows for Sirius XM and on his popular YouTube channel. And now he brings his basketball expertise to Women's Fastbreak On SI and Indiana Fever On SI!
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