The 2025 WNBA season was always supposed to be a statement for the Indiana Fever. But with Caitlin Clark’s injury, their plans got derailed. To lend a helping hand to the point guard, the Fever had already signed Sydney Colson in the offseason. Then, they brought in a carousel of emergency guards to substitute for Clark on the fifth. Although they clinched a playoff berth after their 94-65 win over the Washington Mystics on Monday, their ‘17-player roster’ carries five players with season-ending injuries. But persevering in the regular season despite the injury clouds, the Fever’s statement changed to surviving and thriving. And, for that, HC Stephanie White is proud of the team.

During the post-game presser, White was asked what she felt like being in the playoffs despite the adversity. White, proud of her team, simply replied, “(I) feel proud. I feel proud of these women and what they’ve been able to continue to do. I feel proud that we continued to raise the standards for ourselves and one another. But, also, I look at this group and the roots that have been grown throughout the course of this season, and thinking about, you know, not just where we are now and the opportunity we have in the playoffs but where we’re gonna be in the future.

“I said, when I took this job, to these players, that there’s no substitute for experience. When you can go through and grow through these types of experiences, it lays a foundation for a championship culture and a championship mindset. And ultimately, that’s our ultimate goal. But to be able to take it one day at a time, to be able to put ourselves in a position to be in the playoffs. And then now, the mindset of finishing the regular season and then making noise in the playoffs.”

During the preseason itself, Clark’s quadriceps alarmed everyone. But it got severe when, after the fourth game of the season, she had to miss five games with another quad strain. For the Fever, that was just the beginning of a 44-game-long season filled with multiple injuries. Let’s have a look:

However, despite the absence of Clark’s scoring and playmaking, the team distributed the load among themselves. First, Aliyah Boston stood up to make more plays from the inside out. Then, Kelsey Mitchell became Indy’s primary playmaker while leading the entire team with 20.3 points per game on average. While multiple names wore the Fever jersey to take on Clark’s role and led the team as long as they could, each of them finally ended up with injuries. The team still took it day by day, and reached the playoffs with one more game in the regular season.

On the flip side, their young core has already handled the worst, and their base has been strengthened. That’s what Boston reflected upon, as she stated, “I think just being in this locker room, we never doubt ourselves on what we’re capable of, no matter what happens.” Before this season, one would have thought Boston would be almost toothless without Clark’s passes and two-woman game. However, she has shown herself to be a commanding force even without her, and credit goes to their team culture. The squad has bought into the mantra Kelsey Mitchell introduced, ‘We all we got, we all we need,’ and how!

Entering the season, Clark’s second season’s anticipation already had the betting world on their side. In April, ESPN BET revealed that Indiana was tied with the Las Vegas Aces for the championship title at +350, trailing only the reigning champions, the New York Liberty (+230). While BetMGM now has them at +20000, their chances to make the playoffs were -800. Although not many believe Fever’s chance to win anymore, they still see the turnaround that HC Stephanie White led with the limited roster.

In the playoffs, Indy will have an uphill task with either the Las Vegas Aces or the Atlanta Dream on the horizon. But White and Co. are ready to pull off some upsets against stronger teams and have already shown they can beat the odds. It’s not only the squad buying into the culture, as the management is impressed with their 2025 performance.

Fever GM Gives Caitlin Clark And Co. a Resounding Stamp of Approval

For the first time in almost a decade, the Indiana Fever were dealt with expectations. The front office did everything they could to fast-track this team to success. However, the team was met with something not many could have survived. Still, they did the impossible, and their GM, Amber Cox’s words just added icing on the cake for the squad.

“In 15 seasons in this league, I have never seen anything like this group. Every single member of this team, coaching staff, and support staff is special – believing in one another thru an insane amount of adversity. I’m so damn proud of them,” Cox wrote. Let’s not forget Cox’s part in the success, too. Cox moved from the Dallas Wings last October to replace Lin Dunn, who moved into a new position as a senior adviser for the team. In her first season with the team, Cox showed why she was hired.

Each time they lost a player, the management signed one who fit into the team like a glove. Aari McDonald, Odyssey Sims, and Shey Peddy all have played a huge part in Fever’s qualification. Apart from the signings, Cox also handled a tough situation with DeWanna Bonner. When the veteran expressed discontent after just 9 games, Cox oversaw a smooth exit for the veteran.

The culture that the Fever prides itself upon starts at the very top. Even if the Fever fall short now, they’ve laid a rock-solid foundation built to chase championships. Whether Clark is present or not, the squad now understands their roles much better to bring a win anyway. Meanwhile, they would still have to look at the reasons behind their injury crisis after the season ends.