Six players to protect and Indiana Fever did not shield Temi Fagbenle. Yep, the Golden State Valkyries have selected the 32-year-old seasoned star during the WNBA Expansion Draft. And the Indiana fans are visibly unhappy with the team for letting go of a crucial player from the team. However, some of these fans have found a sense of relief in their demand and the possibility of Fever signing Satou Sabally.

The Golden State Valkyries, owned by Joe Lacob, confirmed Temi Fagbenle’s selection in a post on X. She was one of the 11 players the new franchise selected during the draft, following the guidelines that allowed them to choose one unprotected player from each WNBA team. Meanwhile, draft rules permitted all 12 existing WNBA teams to protect only six players from their roster. Thus leaving the remaining athletes vulnerable. The Valkyries, however, chose not to draft any players from the Seattle Storm.

The expansion draft, announced in October 2023, marked the official entry of the Valkyries as the WNBA’s 13th team. Their decisions in the draft are expected to set the foundation for their debut season in 2025. With Fagbenle now gone, eyes are on the Indiana Fever to see how they address this significant loss and whether they act on the growing calls to bring in Sabally as a replacement.

Fans demand to Indiana Fever letting go Temi Fagbenle

The Indiana Fever’s decision to let go of Fagbenle has fans asking one big question: What’s the plan here? While the 32-year-old’s numbers last season weren’t off the charts, her experience still carried weight—so why part ways? One fan on X might have cracked the code. “The Fever letting a leader go in Temi Fagbenle makes me think they’re looking to sign a big-name free-agent post player. Satou Sabally – Fever incoming?” she wrote.

The idea has taken social media by storm, with Fever fans flooding their timelines with speculation—and a little chaos. One user didn’t hold back, threatening, “If this wasn’t to get Satou Sabally signed, I’m burning the whole organization to the ground.” 

In October this year, Sabally herself dropped a TikTok teasing her excitement about free agency, hinting at a potential team switch and even a new shoe deal. Sabally, in her last two seasons with Dallas, has averaged an impressive 18.4 points and 7.6 rebounds per game. Adding her to the Fever could transform the frontcourt alongside Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston.

No wonder fans are dreaming big, with one X user already building a hypothetical championship roster. “CC, Kelsey, Hull, Satou, Boston… Championship Season!” Meanwhile, another fan took it a step further, suggesting a trade package involving NaLyssa Smith.

The Fever forward averaged 10.6 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1 block per game last season. “…Smith and draft picks for Satou… You’d have 4 all-stars,” an X user stated. Now, it’s to be seen if the team management from the Fever pays heed to the popular fan demand. Especially when the team would most likely be looking for a replacement for Temi Fagbenle.