Trouble in Paradise for Indiana Fever as National Analyst Doubles Down on Caitlin Clark’s Teammate

The Fever continues to build on the success of last year, as it will have 41 of its 44 games featured on a national broadcast. A historic feat that makes the most national TV games for a single WNBA team ever. Now, if you compare, 3x MVP A’ja Wilson’s LV Aces have only 33 games on national TV while, despite winning the championship last year, Breanna Stewart’s NY Liberty has got just 32 games in the spotlight. It’s not that the Fever dominated the league last season, but rather Caitlin Clark’s star power that helped the WNBA reach record-breaking viewership numbers. Clark’s pull is so strong that the Fever HC Stephanie White even called her Taylor Swift 2.0. This surge in attention has also pushed the Fever’s front office to make bold moves. Now, the real question is—can Clark and the Fever recreate the magic of 2024?

Without taking Clark’s name, even the WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert acknowledged the Caitlin Clark effect. “With so much excitement around the player movement that took place this winter through free agency and trades, the WNBA’s broadcast and streaming partners in 2025 will spotlight the league’s superstars, rising stars and must-see matchups like never before,” Engelbert said in a statement.

Last season, the Fever leaned heavily on the partnership between Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell, a sharpshooting guard who’s quietly become one of the franchise’s most reliable scorers. Together, they torched defenses, with Clark’s playmaking and Mitchell’s scoring forming a backcourt that analysts couldn’t stop praising. The Fever finished the 2024 regular season with a 20-20 record, a massive leap from their 13-27 mark the year prior, largely thanks to Clark’s 19.2 points and 8.4 assists per game and Mitchell’s career-high 19.2 points on 46.8% shooting.

But the front office did not sit still this offseason, bringing in Bonner, a two-time champion with a career 17.1 points per game average, Howard, a three-time champ and former Defensive Player of the Year, and Cunningham, a gritty sharpshooter known for her tenacity. Add Lexie Hull potentially thriving off the bench, and the Fever’s roster now looks like a stacked deck. Hence, the question on everyone’s mind: can Mitchell and Clark keep their magic alive with so many new hands reaching for the ball and the paradise of last season looking a little crowded?

Weighing on this, national analyst De Mita didn’t mince words while she was breaking down the top 20 WNBA players this season as per Bleacher Report. “Because obviously last season, they didn’t have as stacked of a team as they do now. So, Kelsey Mitchell and Caitlin Clark really found their groove,” she said on her YouTube channel. She dubbed them as the best backcourt in the W, but wondered if the scoring would continue. “But now they have more scorers around the perimeter; they have DeWanna Bonner in, they have Natasha Howard coming in, they have Sophie Cunningham coming in. They’ll probably have Lexi coming off the bench like they have threats all over the floor.”

It is truly something to wonder about. The new additions and their impact are yet to be seen on the court. But will it be as smooth as it was before? De Mita is not sure. “So are Kelsey Mitchell and Caitlyn Clark’s, really across the board? Aaliyah Boston, are their scoring numbers going to go down because there are more threats? Are they going to go up because they won’t have as much attention on them?“

The analysis suggests a trade-off. Last season, Mitchell thrived when defenses keyed on Clark—her effective field goal percentage jumped on catch-and-shoot opportunities. Bonner and Howard could pull even more defensive focus inside, potentially boosting Mitchell’s efficiency. But volume matters too. Can she maintain that output with fewer shots? Only time will tell. However, as De Mita pointed out, gelling would be the X factor for the star who is #18 on the list.

“We will just have to see; I’m glad Kelsey Mitchell is in the top 20,” and De Mita feels that the Fever star’s ranking will improve eventually during the season. “Like having her at 18 is still pretty low. I feel like Kelsey Mitchell still has more to prove, and I’m excited to see how she gels with the rest of the Indiana Fever team.”

Top Comment by Mrinteligint

Yes and Caitlin is spelled with an «i», not a «y»…

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Debate

While that is there, everyone in the roster would have to work together to make that factor work.

Clark’s pass-first style—she led the league with 337 assists—could make Bonner, Howard, and Cunningham better, which might open driving lanes for Mitchell’s lightning-quick attacks. Boston could benefit too, as Howard draws post defenders. But paradise isn’t guaranteed. The Fever’s last season success came from simplicity—Clark and Mitchell as the engine, Boston as the anchor. Now, with a roster overflowing with talent, coach Stephanie White faces a balancing act.

It is true that the team has got a lot of firepower now and that it is only about finding the right rhythm. Well, if she does, the Fever could contend for a title. If not, the trouble in paradise might just be the sound of too many cooks in the kitchen.

Looking at Caitlin Clark’s reaction to the off-season addition

Even Clark is excited about how things will be different: “They know what it takes to win, they know what it takes to get to the Finals, they know what it takes to win championships. I think it’s exactly what we needed in our locker room.” The 23-year-old was on board with the signings, and why shouldn’t she be?

Bonner, a two-time champion, comes with the hunger to add one more. Natasha Howard, with three rings and a DPOY to her name, brings invaluable Finals experience. The Head Coach also praised the additions as she looks forward to a third season with the Fever, after her previous stints in 2015 and 16.“We’ve surrounded our big three with great veteran players who complement them, and I think we’ve done that. We were fortunate to do both (free agency and adding depth). It puts us in a position to compete.”

No doubt the signings help in the defensive ability for the Fever as it was a chink in the armor last season. But let’s have realistic expectations since Fever isn’t going to go from the league’s worst defense to the league’s bestovernight. The Indiana outfit will definitely hope that the veterans build a new and better defensive culture and mentor younger players. But will it be that smooth? Only time will tell.