Raven Johnson Explains 'Surreal' Feeling Before Fever Game vs Liberty

Indiana Fever rookie Raven Johnson is feeling strong emotions before playing in her first WNBA preseason game.

South Carolina Gamecocks player Raven Johnson | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

While the Indiana Fever selecting Raven Johnson with their No. 10 pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft was somewhat polarizing among Fever fans, the former South Carolina Gamecocks guard has done a wonderful job ingratiating herself with the Fever fan base and franchise throughout preseason training camp.

Johnson has not only curried favor with what she can do on the basketball court, but the way she has conducted herself in front of a microphone has been even more impressive. She has shown a real gratitude toward Indiana for using their draft pick on her, and praised her new teammates for showing her the ropes during what has surely been a wild time in her life.

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert (right) poses for photos with Raven Johnson | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Raven Johnson Feels Like She's 'Dreaming' Before First Fever Preseason Game

Johnson added to this with a wholesome sentiment she shared when speaking about her emotions heading into the Fever's preseason opener against the New York Liberty on April 24.

"I feel like I'm dreaming, literally. Like, I can't believe I'm in the WNBA. I dreamed of this as a little girl. But I feel like when the first game comes, I'm probably gonna be like, 'Oh my god.' Like, we're playing against New York. This is Sabrina Ionescu. Like, those are girls you look up to in middle school. So it's gonna be fun, it's gonna be crazy," Johnson said, per an X post from @_girltalk.

When asked whether she'll take a moment at Barclays Center to look around and soak in the experience, she added, "Yes! I'm about to be like, 'Oh. My. God. This is crazy.' I feel like I'm dreaming, I don't even know how to explain it. This is like a surreal moment, honestly. But I'm probably gonna be like, 'Wow.' I'm gonna go look at the players, and be like, 'Breanna Stewart?' What the heck. Sabrina Ionescu?' Like, I'm probably gonna do stuff like that."

Raven is adorably super excited for her first game against NY and keeps saying that she “feels like she’s dreaming.” She says it’s surreal to grow up watching players like Stewie and Sab, just to be playing against them at a place like Barclays 🥹 pic.twitter.com/Z38CZFjdzn

— allison (@_girltalk) April 24, 2026

It's funny to hear Johnson talking like this, if only because she is currently playing with Caitlin Clark, who is the biggest star in women's basketball by far. Not to mention that she has played with and against many of the best women's college basketball players over the past four seasons.

But she has never played with or against Ionescu, Stewart, or any of the other older WNBA veteran superstars, so it makes sense why facing off against these icons would be so surreal for her.

One would imagine that Johnson will overcome this surreal feeling and get to hooping once Saturday's game starts.