Fever Exit Interview Roundup: Free Agency Outlook, Caitlin Clark Rehab, and More
Two days after a valiant OT loss in a winner-take-all semifinal game, the Indiana Fever held exit interviews to put a bookend on a turbulent yet magical season.
The Fever took a formative step this season, finishing one win shy of a trip to the WNBA Finals despite an onslaught of injuries. Now the focus shifts to a critical offseason that can set the stage for Indiana's first championship since 2012.
With the deadline for a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) looming, the majority of Indiana's roster enters free agency with a chance to capitalize on a WNBA salary cap that could see a significant increase.
In fact, only three players are under contract for next season -- fourth-year center Aliyah Boston, third year point guard Caitlin Clark, and rookie forward Makayla Timpson -- leaving more than enough room for a world of possibilities.
As we dive into the biggest takeaways, let's start with Clark
Caitlin Clark Prioritizing Health and 5v5 Reps This Offseason
It was reported on Thursday that Clark will not be participating in Unrivaled, the offseason three-on-three league founded by WNBA stars Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier. Instead, Indiana's phenom will prioritize her recovery after appearing in just 13 of Indiana's 44 games.
BREAKING: Caitlin Clark will not play in Unrivaled this season, per @FOS.
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) October 2, 2025
It's the second straight year in which Clark will not participate in women's basketball's newest league. pic.twitter.com/739DUcc98b
"More than anything, my main focus is really just getting my body healthy, and once we get back to five-on-five, just being able to test my body and make sure it's in a good spot," Clark shared. "When you go through injuries, especially in my scenario, I think it's important that you can become confident in your body again."
The 23-year-old endured a slew of soft-tissue issues in 2025, including two separate groin injuries. But Clark confirmed that a severe ankle sprain ultimately ruled out any hope of a late-season return.
"I just went to make a move and, unfortunately, my ankle kinda rolled all the way forward. Probably one of the worst sprains I've dealt with. I've been working really hard to get back to full health. I feel like over these last couple of weeks is when I've probably started feeling my best."
Clark will take a break for about a week before resuming basketball activities. When she does resume training, she'll prioritize five-on-five reps as she prepares for upcoming USA Basketball events.
Sophie Cunningham Calls Out WNBA Leadership, Makes Lockout Warning
After Collier took a shot across the bow at WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert during Minnesota Lynx exit interviews, Sophie Cunningham delivered a similar indictment of the league's leadership.
"I'm just tired of our league. They need to step up and be better. Our leadership from top to bottom needs to be held accountable," Cunningham asserted. "I think there are a lot of people in a position of power in the WNBA who might be really great business people, but they don't know s--t about basketball -- and that's gotta change."
Sophie Cunningham didn't hold back when asked about WNBA leadership 👀 pic.twitter.com/at7LXy1K3W
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) October 2, 2025
The seventh-year guard wasn't the only Fever player to back the Lynx star. After initially refraining from comment ahead of Indiana's Game 5 against the Las Vegas Aces, Clark supported Collier's message during exit interviews, emphasizing the importance of this offseason for the league's future.
Caitlin Clark speaks on on Napheesa Collier's comments about WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert:
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 2, 2025
"I have great respect for Phee... she made a lot of valid points. Phee said it all. ... This is straight-up the most important moment in this league's history."
(via @TonyREast) pic.twitter.com/SiKG8DeD0L
Cunningham has been an outspoken critic of WNBA officiating this season, arguing that the criteria for fouls needs to be adjusted after an injury-filled season. It's a heated topic that's caught wind once again after a controversial no-call in a playoff game between the Lynx and Phoenix Mercury left Collier sidelined.
"The game's not fun to watch because everyone's just trying to kill each other," Cunningham added. "Cause that's how you're gonna survive, otherwise you get injured."
The WNBA's current CBA expires on October 31, leaving just under a month to negotiate a deal. With frustration mounting over both officiating and the salary cap, Cunningham issued a bleak assessment of the current trajectory.
"The league came back and really gave us nothing, and so there's a potential lockout, because I promise you that we are not going to play until they give us what we deserve. That's kinda where it's headed, unfortunately."
Sophie Cunningham: "There's a potential lockout. I promise you we aren't going to play until they give us what we deserve. That's kinda where it's headed unfortunately, which would be the dumbest basketball decision, business-wise ever, considering the momentum the W has."
— Alexa Philippou (@alexaphilippou) October 2, 2025
Re-Signing Kelsey Mitchell Is Priority for Fever
Between the haze of CBA negotiations and 13 Fever players entering some form of free agency, laying out a plan for this upcoming offseason could be quite the challenge. Still, general manager Amber Cox was transparent about the first thing on her to-do list.
"I'm gonna sound like a broken record from last year. The priority will be Kelsey Mitchell, and making sure she remains in a Fever jersey."
Fever GM Amber Cox on the team's upcoming offseason:
— Underdog WNBA (@UnderdogWNBA) October 2, 2025
"I'm going to sound like a broken record: The number one priority will be Kelsey Mitchell and making sure she remains in a Fever uniform."
Indiana's longest-tenured player enjoyed a career year, setting a franchise record with 20.2 PPG and finishing fifth in the MVP race. With Clark sidelined for a majority of the season, it was Mitchell who shouldered the offense. She was even better in their terrific playoff run, leading all postseason scorers with 22.3 PPG in eight contests.
Set to become an unrestricted free agent, Mitchell will be a valued commodity across the league and should command a pretty penny after earning a one-year super-max contract as Indiana's core player in 2025.
Mitchell wouldn't commit to anything during her exit day interview.
"I hope we've got a league," the 29-year-old chuckled, echoing concerns from teammates. "Individually, I'm gonna take my time, figure out what my family needs. Family is big for me, and so I think talking to them and figuring out what's best for us and what I need internally is always gonna be important."
Kelsey Mitchell on her impending free agency:
— Underdog WNBA (@UnderdogWNBA) October 2, 2025
"I hope we've got a league ... that's the start."
While the three-time All-Star wouldn't give too much away, she made a point to rave about her time in Indiana.
"I will say, it's gonna be a lot to talk about because I have so much love and so much aspiration for this place. When the time is right, the great conversations will be had, but Indy is like my second family. Everything I've been through the last eight years, I don't think there was any other place that was greater for me."
Fever Free Agency Filled with Unknowns
While Cox openly labeled Mitchell as a priority, Indiana enters free agency with a plethora of unknowns.
Under the current 12-man roster size, it would be impossible for the Fever to bring back every piece from an uplifting 2025 campaign. Of course, that could be subject to change in the new CBA, as could other roster-building limitations like the salary cap.
In a season where seemingly every player on the roster contributed to the Fever's success, some tough decisions await Indiana's front office.
"No doubt, there's something really special about this group," Cox acknowledged. "In my 15 seasons in the league, I've never experienced anything like this in terms of their connection, and that certainly was a big part of getting us to where we ended the season."
Besides Mitchell, other players entering free agency -- whether it be unrestricted, restricted, or reserved -- include Cunningham, Lexie Hull, and Natasha Howard, as well as hardship additions like Aari McDonald, Odyssey Sims, and Chloe Bibby. While Cox displayed interest in retaining a large portion of Indiana's core, laying out any plans will prove difficult.
"There are just a lot of unknowns. A lot of these players will be in our plans, but with so many unknowns, it's hard to really define that until we get some structure on what [the CBA] is going to look like."
Hull, a restricted free agent, and Howard, unrestricted, both raved about their experience with the Fever and expressed interest in returning. Cunningham similarly sang Indiana's praises, but asserted that she would nonetheless explore all offers this offseason.
Fever GM Praises Stephanie White as Coach of the Year
Stephanie White didn't get any votes for WNBA Coach of the Year this season. In all fairness, the competition was stiff.
First-year head coach Natalie Nakase, who ultimately earned the honor, led the Golden State Valkyries to 23 wins and a playoff berth, the best inaugural season by an expansion team in WNBA history. On the East Coast, Karl Smesko led the Atlanta Dream to 30 wins, the most by a first-year head coach in WNBA history. Cheryl Reeve's Lynx tied a WNBA record with 34 wins, and Becky Hammon's Aces pulled off a stunning second-half comeback with one of the longest winning streaks in league history.
White ends up on the outside looking in after delivering the Fever to a sixth-place finish, overcoming a mountain of injuries and finding success with numerous hardship players. Unbeknownst to voters, she'd then lead Indiana within a win of the Finals, taking the winner-take-all Game 5 to overtime. While she may not have received the requisite praise from national media, White earned a thorough appraisal from her GM.
"I cannot say enough good things about Stephanie White and her staff," Cox stated. "What a tremendous job, and she deserves so much credit, and her staff deserves so much credit for being able to fold these players in really quickly. Steph is a master communicator, and I think one of her super skills is her ability to make everyone believe in the possibilities, even when times are tough."
It showed in the playoffs, where every chess move -- whether it was an increased role for Brianna Turner or a larger offensive workload for Sims -- seemed to turn in her favor.
"I think she is just an incredible motivator of people, incredible at X's and O's. Quite frankly, it is shocking to me that she did not end up on the Coach of the Year ballot with votes. I think what she did was a masterful job this season. For my book, she was the coach of the year."
Fortunately for the Fever, White will get a chance to run it back with what should be a much healthier roster next season — with Indiana expected to emerge formidable after an offseason filled with uncertainty.
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Lou Orlando is a Fordham University alum, graduating with a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism. At Rose Hill, he covered women's basketball for the university newspaper, the Fordham Ram. In addition to calling games on 90.7 FM. The Brooklyn native enjoys bagels and thinking about random early-2010s athletes, that is when he isn't penning stories for Women's Fastbreak and Indiana Fever On SI.
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