Tamika Catchings Reveals Key to Caitlin Clark’s 2026 Fever Approach
The Men's Final Four of the 2026 NCAA Tournament is taking place in Indianapolis this weekend, which brings a lot of attention to the Indiana Fever's stomping grounds. And there's nobody better to represent the Fever organization than Tamika Catchings.
While Catchings' legendary WNBA career speaks for itself, her legacy off the court is equally impressive, given all she has done in Indianapolis' community. And her partnership with GEICO for their Dribble & Bounce initiative is proof of that.
Following GEICO's now iconic tradition, thousands of young participants will dribble their way through a one-mile course through the streets of Indianapolis this weekend. Catchings will be on site to engage with families and help GEICO increase its local impact with an equipment donation to Boys & Girls Clubs across the city.
Tamika Catchings Talks GEICO, Fever Free Agency, and Caitlin Clark Injury Return Advice
Catchings spoke with Indiana Fever on SI about this GEICO partnership, plus various aspects of the Indiana Fever's upcoming season.
You’ve built so much of your life around Indianapolis. What does it mean to be partnering with GEICO on something like Dribble & Bounce and turning all this Final Four energy into something real for kids in your community?
TC: It’s awesome. First off, I’m super excited to be part of the GEICO team going into this weekend. One thing I love is seeing kids walking around with a basketball, playing outside, because I feel like we got away from that for a period of time. So it’s been a lot of fun, and I’m excited about Sunday and seeing all these kids.
We know what basketball does: it makes these kids smile. What GEICO continues to do, partnering with different organizations and coming into cities, is use its national platform to make a difference. It’s about fostering, supporting, and giving kids an opportunity. Not everybody’s going to make it to the Final Four or be at the game, but this is their game. Being able to walk around, dribble, and play. I’m really excited about it.
Why do you feel like access to programs like this is so important for kids right now?
TC: I think it’s important because there are so many highs and lows in life. Even thinking back to when I was young, the adversity is different, but for kids, being exposed to others like them matters. Basketball is an international sport; it brings people together.
For me, basketball was a way to eliminate distractions—school, homework, tests—and focus on something engaging. What GEICO does really well is that it’s not just about one day or just basketballs. It’s continuous. They’re donating sports supplies, investing in the community, and showing up. It’s not just putting their name on something and leaving. They invest in these kids and give them an opportunity to experience how much fun basketball can be. This is the first part of that.
Can you talk more about the equipment donation aspect of what you’re doing?
GEICO has done this continuously. Looking at ways to not just come in for one day and leave, but to make a lasting impact. That includes donating sports supplies like footballs and basketballs to Boys & Girls Clubs and similar organizations.
For me, being in Indianapolis, I get to visit these clubs, and hopefully, the kids we interact with on Sunday, I’ll see them again around the city. As we move into the summer, I’ll see those basketballs in use in different places. The donation of equipment to these clubs is going to be really important.
When you think about where the Indiana Fever are right now, especially with free agency and the expansion draft coming up, what are some of the missing pieces they need to address to become championship contenders?
TC: That’s a great question. Right now, it’s hard to pinpoint specific holes because there are so many free agents and not a lot of players signed across the league. So there are a lot of unknowns, not just for the Fever, but for every team. The expansion draft will happen on Friday, and we’ll all be tuned into that along with the Final Four. It’ll be interesting to see what happens after that.
When you’re coming off an injury and feel healthy again, what’s the key to getting back into the rhythm of a full season without pushing too far too fast, especially for someone like Caitlin Clark with that kind of workload?
TC: The great thing for her is that she played USA Basketball and had the opportunity to compete at a high level overseas. Coming back into it, she’s already been playing at an elite level.
Also, looking at the Fever last year, with all the injuries, she doesn’t have to come back and put the team on her back. The team had to play without her and other players, so now it’s about trusting your teammates. I know some of them are already in town, working out and preparing for the season.
For me, coming back from injury was really about trust; trusting my teammates and getting myself back to 100 percent. More than anything, it’s the mental piece. Getting over that fear of re-injury. Once you get past that, it becomes about trusting the team. I think we have a really good core in Indy, and hopefully they can keep building.
You’ve seen Stephanie White as both a teammate and a head coach. What has it been like watching her come back and lead the Fever again?
TC: I’m excited for it. When she was a head coach before, she was still growing into that role. It’s different. Then she goes to the college game, coaches at different places, works with ESPN, and comes back to the pros with Connecticut.
The experience she’s gained really shows. Every team is different, every year is different—players come in and out, injuries happen. Last year was crazy with injuries. But it’s exciting to watch her grow as a coach.
Her coaching staff, too, I played with a lot of them. It’s cool to see the involvement across the organization. For her specifically, you can see how much she’s learned, and now she’s back with the goal of winning a championship
Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the Indiana Fever and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.
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