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INDIANAPOLIS -- The new-look Indiana Fever officially started preparations for the 2025 season with the start of training camp Sunday afternoon.
With a new front office, new coaching staff, and over half the roster turned over, it's a far cry from last season's Fever team that went 20-20.
"It was great, I think the energy was high," said Aliyah Boston, returning for her third year on the Fever. "I think it was great to get everybody under one roof and working together. Super fun, great energy, and we're making a lot of shots."
The Fever only have five returning players from the 2024 squad: Boston, Caitlin Clark, Kelsey Mitchell, Lexie Hull and Damiris Dantas. The other 10 players are new, whether they came via free agency, trades or draft.
The Fever's top free-agent signings came in DeWanna Bonner, a 15-year veteran and playoff games leader in the WNBA and three-time WNBA champion Natasha Howard. The Fever also added Brianna Turner and two-time champion Sydney Colson through free agency and Sophie Cunningham from Phoenix through trade.
The Fever's new front office, headed by president Kelly Krauskopf and GM Amber Cox, prioritized players with championship experience. It's exactly the type of leadership the Fever's young core of Clark, Boston and Mitchell need to take the next step.
To actually put it all together, too, has been a long time coming.
"It's excited me since we made trades and we got everyone on the roster, in a sense," Boston said. "Now to finally be on the court, I think it's even more like the energy is even higher. You're always picturing it when you see it on social media, 'Oh we have DB, oh we have Tash,' but now to be in the same place, in the same building, the same team, it's a great feeling."
Along with new faces running the court, they had a new person running practice in Stephanie White, who returned to coach the Fever after two years with the Connecticut Sun. White has a long history with the Fever, first as a player, then as an assistant on the 2012 championship team, then as head coach from 2015-16.
Her style is different from that of former coach Christie Sides, who was let go from the Fever following the 2024 season. It's new for nearly everyone — except Bonner, who played under White in Connecticut the past two seasons.
"If you only knew how many text messages I got, like 'What is practice going to be like? What is practice going to be like?'" Bonner said with a laugh. "... I got a lot a lot of text messages the night before, trying to understand Steph and what it takes, and like I said, this team wants to be better, this team wants to be great, so just getting those messages was like, wow, you know people are dialed in."
Indiana's practice Sunday afternoon was fast-paced and defensive-focused, something White wants to prioritize on a team that has struggled defensively the past two seasons. Indiana ranked 11th (out of 12) in defensive efficiency in 2023 and 2024.
White's teams in Connecticut, in comparison, were first and second in those two years. Now, White and Bonner are determined to improve Indiana's defensive rating together.
"We know we have to play defense, I think Steph told us that (Indiana was) 11th in the league last year, and we know that's not going to cut it in too many games," Bonner said. "We know we've got to be better. I'm not saying we've got to be the best defensive team in the pack, but that'd be nice... I'm a competitor, so I'm going to make them compete on defense."
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana Fever open WNBA training camp with championship expectations
Continue reading...
With a new front office, new coaching staff, and over half the roster turned over, it's a far cry from last season's Fever team that went 20-20.
"It was great, I think the energy was high," said Aliyah Boston, returning for her third year on the Fever. "I think it was great to get everybody under one roof and working together. Super fun, great energy, and we're making a lot of shots."
The Fever only have five returning players from the 2024 squad: Boston, Caitlin Clark, Kelsey Mitchell, Lexie Hull and Damiris Dantas. The other 10 players are new, whether they came via free agency, trades or draft.
The Fever's top free-agent signings came in DeWanna Bonner, a 15-year veteran and playoff games leader in the WNBA and three-time WNBA champion Natasha Howard. The Fever also added Brianna Turner and two-time champion Sydney Colson through free agency and Sophie Cunningham from Phoenix through trade.
The Fever's new front office, headed by president Kelly Krauskopf and GM Amber Cox, prioritized players with championship experience. It's exactly the type of leadership the Fever's young core of Clark, Boston and Mitchell need to take the next step.
To actually put it all together, too, has been a long time coming.
"It's excited me since we made trades and we got everyone on the roster, in a sense," Boston said. "Now to finally be on the court, I think it's even more like the energy is even higher. You're always picturing it when you see it on social media, 'Oh we have DB, oh we have Tash,' but now to be in the same place, in the same building, the same team, it's a great feeling."
Along with new faces running the court, they had a new person running practice in Stephanie White, who returned to coach the Fever after two years with the Connecticut Sun. White has a long history with the Fever, first as a player, then as an assistant on the 2012 championship team, then as head coach from 2015-16.
Her style is different from that of former coach Christie Sides, who was let go from the Fever following the 2024 season. It's new for nearly everyone — except Bonner, who played under White in Connecticut the past two seasons.
"If you only knew how many text messages I got, like 'What is practice going to be like? What is practice going to be like?'" Bonner said with a laugh. "... I got a lot a lot of text messages the night before, trying to understand Steph and what it takes, and like I said, this team wants to be better, this team wants to be great, so just getting those messages was like, wow, you know people are dialed in."
Indiana's practice Sunday afternoon was fast-paced and defensive-focused, something White wants to prioritize on a team that has struggled defensively the past two seasons. Indiana ranked 11th (out of 12) in defensive efficiency in 2023 and 2024.
White's teams in Connecticut, in comparison, were first and second in those two years. Now, White and Bonner are determined to improve Indiana's defensive rating together.
"We know we have to play defense, I think Steph told us that (Indiana was) 11th in the league last year, and we know that's not going to cut it in too many games," Bonner said. "We know we've got to be better. I'm not saying we've got to be the best defensive team in the pack, but that'd be nice... I'm a competitor, so I'm going to make them compete on defense."
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana Fever open WNBA training camp with championship expectations
Continue reading...
