INDIANAPOLIS — People hate change, even superstar guards. Caitlin Clark is no different. She shared as much during her exit interview after the 2026 Indiana Fever season.
“Change is hard for anybody. That’s just the reality of the world we live in. People don’t like change,” Clark said. “I’ll admit it, I don’t always like change. I get very accustomed to the routine that I live in.”
Clark was talking about her backcourt partner, Kelsey Mitchell, and how her career shifted in 2024 when Clark became her teammate. They both just finished top-four in MVP voting, their talents made the Fever’s offense the best in the WNBA.
And yet, that top-rated offense stumbled in the playoffs as the Fever lost in the first round to the Las Vegas Aces. Their identity wasn’t enough to get back to the semifinals, something the Fever did in 2025.
The team had championship aspirations, yet won just one playoff game. That means change, wanted or not, has to come in Indiana.
“It’s disappointing. I think because our team was healthy, there’s more expectations. And with that, there comes more disappointment,” wing Lexie Hull said of the Fever’s early exit. “For us, it sucks to be here and have games still going on. We went into this season with the goals of winning a championship. So anything less than that is disappointing. I think that there was so much more potential for us this year, and it sucks for it to just come down earlier than we wanted it to.”
There were some signs of progress in the regular season. The Fever won 28 times, and specifically 63.6% of their games. That was the third-best mark in franchise history — though the first two times the Fever won better than 62% of their games they reached the WNBA Finals.
Clark got better. Mitchell got better. Raven Johnson turned in a strong rookie season, Aliyah Boston was an All-Star once again. Makayla Timpson improved tremendously from her first season into her second.
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That, plus the wins, were tangible steps forward for the Fever. The end result? A step backwards, losing one round earlier after finishing with the exact same playoff seed (sixth) for the third-straight campaign.
“We know there’s high expectations associated with this team and with this franchise. And when you have a Big 3 like ours, that’s going to be the expectation,” general manager Amber Cox said. “We have those as well. Obviously, we fell short of that. We’re disappointed.”
Cox was pleased that her team got more playoff experience and didn’t regret any of her decisions from the previous offseason. Mitchell, Hull, Sophie Cunningham, and Damiris Dantas re-signed. Myisha Hines-Allen, Tyasha Harris, Monique Billings and Shatori Walker-Kimbrough signed standard contracts in free agency. Boston had her deal extended via the Exceptional Performance on Initial Contract (EPIC) provision.
That led to some highs, and there were moments during the season during which it felt reasonable that the Fever could win it all. On August 20, just barely one month before the end of the regular season, the Fever were 24-12 and sat in third place. They were 1.5 games behind the second seed.
They went 5-6, including the playoffs, the rest of the way. Despite an all-time great offense, the Fever weren’t good enough to be more than a first-round out.
“We obviously need to improve defensively,” Cox said. “So, we know there’s some areas we need to shore up.”
Shoring things up and improving on either end of the floor requires some change. But where? That is for the Fever’s front office to decide, but shifts at many levels are reasonable.
Despite the number of contracts offered in the offseason, the Fever closed their final playoff game with Hines-Allen and Johnson on the floor next to the team’s three stars. That means the Fever’s top-three highest paid role players were on the bench with the season on the line. Hull, Billings and Cunningham all had moments of success in 2026 but had inconsistent seasons. Does that mean changes are needed in the approach to free agency and team building?
Head coach Stephanie White has built a reputation as a defensive-minded coach. She often shared in media sessions that her team was focused on improving on the less glamorous end of the floor in practice time. Yet even as it became clear the Fever’s ceiling was going to be defined by defense, they finished eighth in defensive rating and had a lower playoff floor because of their inability to get stops.
“I think that’s more of a deeper dive of diving into schematics and personnel and thinking about different ways to do it. Certainly you want to try to have some schemes that work for your players,” White said when asked why the 2026 Fever never defended well. “I thought there were moments where we did it. It’s just about being able to have that mentality consistently.”
What can the coaching staff do better to extract defensive success out of the players? Or was this roster not built in a way that made getting stops consistently possible?
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Cox said the team’s frontcourt depth needs to be better. They’re hoping to get more production out of the wing position in the future. The theme of the improvements needed for both groups is defense. While at its best the Fever’s roster looked like it was capable of something special, the lack of depth held the team back.
Will changes in strategy, both on the court and off, be enough to make the Fever title contenders? Do they need different people in the front office, on the roster, or coaching the team? Those are the questions, and changes, the franchise will have to consider as they figure out how to reach their title-winning goals in future seasons.
Cox touched on what the roster needs. White was asked if she expects to be the head coach in 2027: “It’s their decision whether I return or not. I’d love the opportunity, I love this franchise,” she said. “I hope to continue to be the coach.”
Defensive growth for the Fever will come from many places. But given the team’s offensive firepower, that growth has to happen, and that means changes are needed in some way. That much became clear from the team’s first-round loss and ensuing answers during exit interviews.
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Other quotes of note during 2026 Indiana Fever exit interviews
Clark on if she’d sign an extension via the EPIC provision, which she’ll be eligible for in the offseason: “I think there’s a lot of things to think about. Obviously it’s great that I have that opportunity. And I think for myself, we obviously haven’t gotten into roster construction yet. We have to think about things with the cap and what we’re going to need and who we’re going to need to sign and what value they bring to the team. So not saying I am going to sign it, not saying I’m going to sign it or not sign it. I think it’s just kind of figuring out the way we need to construct our roster. No matter what, I’m going to be here. I just want to do what’s best for the team and make sure we have the opportunity to be able to win championships. That’s my main goal.”
Mitchell, ahead of her unrestricted free agency on the factors that will matter to her: “I haven’t thought that far yet. I think it’s about figuring out what I need, figuring out what my family needs. I’m getting older, I’m not getting younger, unfortunately. I’ve obviously built a Fever family here, so whatever conversations I’ll have to have I’ll have them. I think it’s too early for me to really tell what I need to do. I wouldn’t be here without Indiana… It’s a lot to kind of hash out and figure out.” Asked later about her priorities, Mitchell added: “I think that I have to be selfish. I think that’s where I am in my career about what I probably need and what’s probably the best for me… I’ve never been in another uniform. I’ve never had to discuss another organization. There’s a lot to hash out.”
Boston on how the season-long lower leg injury impacted her: “I would say I definitely started the year with a lot of uncertainty. I think there were definitely some games where I was hindered a little bit, and then obviously I missed some games. So it definitely was a change for me because I’m somebody that just loves to compete and loves to play, and I never like to sit out. So it definitely had its impact. But we made it through a full season, so I’m always grateful.”
Cox, with a closing statement protecting Fever fans: “I really wanted to just thank our Fever fan base for all the support that they continue to give us, not only at home but on the road. We have the best fans in the league, an amazing mix of diehards who have been with us from the start and fans who are newer to the league. People from all walks of life. Everyone is welcome here, and they have helped provide an incredible home court advantage here at Gainbridge Fieldhouse as well as on the road. We say every game is a home game, and that’s truly the case. People follow us. They pay hard-earned dollars to be at our games, whether we are here or we are on the road. Our fans also delivered 14 of the top 15 broadcasts this year, including some of the largest audiences the WNBA has ever had. The only top-drawing broadcast that didn’t include the Fever was the WNBA All-Star Game, and that had three Fever All-Star starters.
“The attacks on our fan base have no basis in reality, and they need to stop, especially with members of the media — not you guys, not you guys — I’m talking about media who have never been to a game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Every organization in the league, every organization throughout professional sports, all the way down to youth rec leagues, have to deal with occasional bad behavior from spectators. And anyone who crosses the line in an arena or online needs to be held accountable. I want to be really clear about that. There is a line, and people need to be held accountable if they cross it. But here’s the fact: We did not have one fan pointed out by a player who violated the WNBA Code of Conduct this season. Not one fan was removed from a game. We take this really seriously, and that is backed up by our security stats and the lived experiences of countless fans who we host at every game. We have fans from 57 countries and all 50 states attend home games. And we drive [a] global audience not only for the Fever, but for the WNBA. And more than 35% of our fans are coming from outside of Indiana every game. Our fans love this team. They’re going to cheer. They’re going to boo. And sometimes they might point. It’s a home court advantage for a reason, and it’s the same for the Pacers. And all of that is within the code of conduct. Fever games have always been about inclusivity. Sports are the ultimate unifier, and we want everyone to be a fan of the Fever and a fan of this league.”
