The Indiana Fever’s season may be over, but the controversy surrounding their fanbase continues. Las Vegas star A’ja Wilson’s recent comments about the atmosphere when playing in Indiana have once again stirred the pot, prompting media personality Rachel DeMita to weigh in with her own thoughts.

In her ‘Courtside Club’ podcast, Rachel DeMita responded to Wilson’s remarks, pointing out the irony of the situation. Despite many teams playing against the Fever throughout the regular season and playoffs, concerns about Indiana’s fans only began to surface toward the end of the season.

DeMita commented, “I’m sorry. It’s just so funny because I feel like from all of the visuals that I’ve seen of fans in Indiana, it is mostly kids. You see so many photos and videos and especially like the people who are sitting closest to the court, a lot of the times  seem like children.“

In fact, one viral video of Caitlin Clark signing fans’ jerseys even stated how she gave preference to young girls and boys over others. Many of them have even shown lines of aspiring basketball players in young girls, trying to grab attention from the No. 22.

DeMita’s reaction was in response to Wilson’s recent candid interview with ESPN, where the reigning WNBA MVP expressed her unease about playing in Indiana, stating, “Ugh. I dreaded being in Indiana, not because it was like the city or nothing, it was just like, I just don’t want no s— to pop off.” Wilson’s remarks to ESPN also read, “It’s like that feeling of constantly having to have that guard up, constantly having to just protect yourself and being ready to take the high road. Living like that sucks.” 

She ended her comments by saying, “This year we see it more than ever and it sucks and I hope it just dies down. We’re starting to lose the beauty of the game of basketball. That’s what I hate the most about it… These folks going crazy.”

While Rachel DeMita went on to acknowledge that while Wilson’s comment might stem from facing such a large, passionate fanbase, she went on to state that it was not funny to make such a comment about an entire group of supporters.

The Fever’s fanbase: Support or threat?

DeMita found it peculiar that these concerns about safety in Indiana surfaced only after Indiana was out of the WNBA season. She remarked, “I don’t know where this came from, and I don’t know why if you were truly feeling like this at an Indiana Fever game, there are many moments within the game where a fan is saying something, or after the game where you can come out and say, like, this was said to me. This is the bad part. I don’t feel safe here.”

Part of the growing tension could be attributed to the Fever’s overwhelming fan presence throughout the season. The WNBA recently released attendance figures showing that Indiana led the league with 643,000 total fans for the regular season, significantly higher than the Las Vegas Aces, who came in third with 425,000 fans. DeMita noted that these larger, rowdier crowds may have contributed to an intense atmosphere in Indiana, stating, “Any team playing against Indiana is going to have a bigger, louder crowd than any other team that you play.”

This surge in fan support has been a double-edged sword. On one hand, the Fever’s growing popularity and fan engagement are a testament to the growth of the WNBA. On the other, the sheer volume and intensity of Indiana’s loyalist fanbase may have left some players feeling uneasy, especially those unaccustomed to such large, passionate crowds.

It’s not just Wilson who has spoken out about the atmosphere. Other players, such as DiJonai Carrington and Alyssa Thomas, have echoed similar concerns about the intensity of WNBA fanbases this season. Angel Reese too had spoken about the same in the very first episode of her ‘Unapologetically Angel’ podcast.

However, Caitlin Clark, in her exit interview, clearly tagged WNBA followers who call the players names or degrade them in any form are “trolls not fans.” She has also mentioned how these stars are women who she grew up wanting to be like and there is no place for hate in the world of sports.

The question remains: Can the WNBA embrace the Fever’s passionate fanbase, or will the intensity prove to be too much for the league to handle? Only time will tell how the Indiana followers will truly respond to it, probably the way their icon No. 22 does, with action!