Kevin's Watch

Clark scores 20 and the Fever beat the Sun 88-71 in physical game to secure Commissioner’s Cup spot


INDIANAPOLIS -- — Caitlin Clark had 20 points, six assists and four 3-pointers and the Indiana Fever beat the Connecticut Sun 88-71 on Tuesday night in a physical game that included three late ejections.

With 46.1 seconds left in the fourth quarter, Connecticut guard Jacy Sheldon made a steal and raced the other way before being wrapped up by Sophie Cunningham under the basket for a hard foul. Sheldon got up quicky and got into a shoving match with Cunningham, leading to Cunningham, Sheldon and Lindsay Allen all getting ejected.

Sheldon was also the center of another official review in the third quarter after she poked Clark in the eye and then Marina Mabrey came in late to shove Clark to the floor. Three technical fouls were called, leading to Clark’s three free throws for a 58-45 lead.

The Indiana win, combined with an Atlanta loss to New York, secured the Fever's spot in the Commissioner’s Cup with a 4-1 record. The Fever held the tiebreaker with the Liberty after a 102-88 win on Saturday.

Kelsey Mitchell added 17 points and Natasha Howard had 16 points and 12 rebounds for Indiana (6-5), which went above .500 for the first time since the third game of the season. Damiris Dantas scored a season-high 13 and Howard secured her 50th career double-double.

Tina Charles led Connecticut (2-9) with 20 points. Olivia Nelson-Ododa added 14 points and Jaelyn Brown scored 13.

Clark, who returned from an injury on Saturday to make seven 3-pointers against New York, made her first three 3-pointers against the Sun and scored 12 points in the first half to help Indiana build a 47-39 lead.

Connecticut was within 50-43 with 8:15 remaining in the third quarter but did not make another field goal until the 2:49 mark to trail by 12 points.

Clark’s fourth 3-pointer made it 84-64.

Fever to be without coach Stephanie White; Austin Kelly steps in

SAN FRANCISCO -- Indiana Fever coach Stephanie White won't be with the team as it faces the Golden State Valkyries on Thursday night as she tends to a personal matter, the team said.

It wasn't specified how long White will be away from the team. Assistant coach Austin Kelly will serve as acting head coach.

Kelly, who has worked with White since their days with the Connecticut Sun, also assumed head coaching duties on June 7.

It's going to be the same. I think we are an extension of each other," Kelly said after Thursday's shootaround. "The message is still the same that we talk about in the locker room: playing for each other, getting it done on the defensive end and then having that help fuel us on the offensive end. But the vibes are good."

In her first season with the Fever, White led Indiana to a 6-5 start and to the Commissioner's Cup finals.

The Fever are in the midst of a stretch of five games in eight days, including a three-game West Coast trip, a home-and-away back-to-back against the Los Angeles Sparks and then at the Dallas Wings.

Kelly said the priority during this stretch is to manage everyone's minutes.

We're just trying to manage everything within the game and then we're going to put a lot on them to get treatment in between games," Kelly told ESPN. "We're here, Vegas, Seattle, then back home. It's about us taking care of business on the floor, first and foremost, and looking for opportunities throughout the game to manage those minutes."

Game Recap: Indiana Fever Drop Result at Golden State

The Indiana Fever (6-6) suffered an 88-77 road defeat to expansion side, Golden State Valkyries on Thursday night.

The Fever started the game winning the tip followed by a jump shot from Aliyah Boston, who contributed six points in the first quarter for Indiana to lead 21-12. The Fever continued to lead throughout the second quarter going into the halftime break up 44-38, ending the first half with a buzzer-beater three pointer from Boston to give her 15 points and seven rebounds to that point.

Indiana led at the end of the third 59-55, during which Mitchell scored seven points for Indiana. However, the home side turned the tables in the second half, fueled by a 33-18 fourth quarter to take the win in the first-ever meeting between the two teams.
Indiana Fever Notes:

Aliyah Boston’s second block in the first quarter marked her 118th career block, passing Teaira McCowan for the fourth most in Indiana Fever history.
Natasha Howard recorded her 4,000th career point in the second quarter, becoming the 52nd in WNBA history to do so.
Aliyah Boston recorded her 29th career double-double early in the third quarter, giving her the second most double-doubles in team history, only behind Fever legend Tamika Catchings.
The game was the first-ever meeting between the Fever and Valkyries, with the latter joining the WNBA as an expansion team this season.
Up Next: The Indiana Fever remain on the road as part of a three-game road swing traveling to face the Las Vegas Aces on Sunday, June 22 at 3 p.m. ET, broadcast nationally on ESPN.

Caitlin Clark leads early voting for WNBA All-Star Game


Indiana Fever sensation Caitlin Clark and Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier lead the early fan voting for the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game, the league announced Friday.

Clark, the 2024 first overall pick, received 515,993 votes, followed by Collier at 484,758. Three other Fever players appeared in the top nine, with Aliyah Boston coming in third (446,961), Kelsey Mitchell in seventh (277,664) and Lexie Hull in ninth (217,438).


Three-time MVP A'ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces and two-time MVP Breanna Stewart rounded out the top five in the early returns, coming in fourth (394,600) and fifth (367,819), respectively. Stewart's New York Liberty teammate Sabrina Ionescu is slotted in eighth (234,684). A pair of rookies also appeared in the top 10, with first overall pick Paige Bueckers of the Dallas Wings checking in at No. 6 (312,920) and the Washington Mystics' Kiki Iriafen at No. 10 (213,500).

Fan voting, which ends June 28, accounts for 50% of the overall vote, with input from current players and a media panel accounting for 25% apiece. The four guards and six frontcourt players with the best combined score will be named starters for the All-Star Game. Then the league's head coaches will select 12 reserves.

The starters who receive the most fan votes will be deemed captains and draft their respective teams, with the results of the draft to be announced July 8.

The 2025 WNBA All-Star Game will take place July 19 and will be hosted by the Fever at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The event will air on ABC.

WNBA Power Rankings: First Lynx, Liberty losses opened race to Cup final

The Minnesota Lynx and New York Liberty losing their first games of the season didn't change the top of ESPN's WNBA Power Rankings, but it did shake up the Commissioner's Cup picture.

A week ago, it seemed likely that the Lynx and Liberty would meet in the championship game on July 1, as they did last year.

But heading into Tuesday's final Commissioner's Cup games, five teams were still vying to advance to the final.

After Tuesday's 76-62 win over the Las Vegas Aces, the Lynx will represent the West for the second year in a row in the WNBA's in-season competition. Minnesota, which went 5-1 in Cup play, beat New York for the 2024 Commissioner's Cup crown.

The Indiana Fever also advanced Tuesday after beating the Connecticut Sun in a contentious 88-71 victory. The Fever were 4-1 in Cup games, as were the Liberty, but the Fever won the head-to-head tiebreaker.

WNBA fans will have to wait until late July to see a rematch of the 2024 WNBA Finals. The Lynx and Liberty haven't faced off yet this season, and play the first of their four meetings on July 30.

5. Indiana Fever (5-5)
Previous ranking: 6

Next 7 days: vs. CON (June 17), @ GS (June 19), @ LV (June 22)

It took Caitlin Clark a quarter -- in which she hit three consecutive long-range 3s -- to reestablish her dynamic impact. She finished with 32 points, 9 assists and 8 rebounds as the Fever handed the Liberty their first loss of the season Saturday, with Indiana making 17 3s just four days after losing to Atlanta with a season-low 58 points. The Fever did not have DeWanna Bonner (out for personal reasons) in the win but got a very good effort from their bench with a combined 20 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists.

Who is the most impactful player in the league right now?

Philippou: Caitlin Clark. With her on the floor, the Fever weren't invincible, but you could see why they were viewed as early championship contenders, especially after they handed New York its narrowest victory to date. Without Clark, Indiana is just 2-3, with Tuesday's loss in Atlanta marking a setback after two consecutive wins. If Clark returns soon, stays healthy and the team jells, few opponents will want to see Indiana in the playoffs. We saw the Fever take off after the Olympic break last season, and I suspect there will be a similar turning point once Clark and Sophie Cunningham (ankle) return.

What storyline has the most potential to change between now and the start of the playoffs?

Voepel: The Fever's offense can go from zero to 100 mph faster than any team when Clark is running in transition. She's just that masterful at pushing the pace, either by scoring herself or finding an open teammate. When she returns, the Fever can regain momentum they've lost with her out. Admittedly, they were 2-2 with her, but we saw glimpses of a dynamic offense and better defense than last season. So, while the Fever have a losing record right now, they could be the team they had hoped to be by September.

DeWanna Bonner misses 5th straight game; reportedly wants out of Indiana

DeWanna Bonner missed her fifth consecutive game for the Indiana Fever on Tuesday night as a report suggested she was looking to move on from the WNBA team she signed with in February.

Bonner, 37, is in her 16th year in the league. The 6-foot-4 guard/forward came to Indiana as a coveted free agent expected to bring experience and leadership after spending the past five seasons in Connecticut.

Bonner last played for the Fever on June 10 in a loss at Atlanta and has been out since then for what the team called personal reasons.

As Bonner's absence has continued over the past two weeks, questions arose about whether she wanted to leave the team. Earlier Tuesday, Front Office Sports, citing league sources, reported that Bonner does not want to return to Indiana and would like to play in Phoenix or Atlanta.

Bonner's agent, Mike Cound, told ESPN on Tuesday that he could not comment on Bonner's situation.

Fever coach Stephanie White has said multiple times previously that the franchise supported Bonner being away from the team.

White was asked again about Bonner before Tuesday's 94-86 win at Seattle, and whether she had communicated with her.

"I haven't had a lot of conversations recently," White said. "You know, really been focused on the group that we have right here, and what we need to do to position ourselves to win."

Bonner averaged double-figures scoring in each of her 15 previous seasons in the WNBA and has been a full-time starter since 2012. She started only three of the nine Fever games she appeared in, averaging 7.1 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.6 assists.

Her contract, which is unprotected, is for $200,000 this season. The Fever potentially could waive or trade her.

The Fever are also soon to be without post player Damiris Dantas, who is leaving Wednesday to join the Brazilian national team in Chile for the FIBA AmeriCup, a qualifying event for next year's FIBA Women's World Cup.

Dantas is expected to miss five games.

Boston scores career-high 31, Clark held to 6 points as the Fever beat the Storm 94-86

SEATTLE -- — Aliyah Boston scored a career-high 31 points and Kelsey Mitchell chipped in 26 points and five 3-pointers as the Indiana Fever beat the Seattle Storm 94-86 on Tuesday night.

Caitlin Clark scored just six points in the win on a tough shooting night. She went 0 for 6 from 3-point range and 3 for 13 from the field.

Boston’s previous career best was 30 points on Sept. 8, 2024, against the Atlanta Dream. The 6-foot-5 forward and former No. 1 overall pick scored 26 points in her last game against the Las Vegas Aces, as well.

The duo of Mitchell and Boston was particularly impactful in a dominant third quarter for the Fever (7-7), when they outscored the Storm (9-6) 30-19. Mitchell had seven points in the quarter, while Boston added eight more, building a lead the Storm couldn’t erase, despite a valiant late push.

Lexie Hull added 15 points and Damiris Dantas contributed 10 for the Fever. It was an impressive all-around effort from Indiana, especially considering Clark’ recent struggles from beyond the 3-point arc continued. Clark has converted just 1 of her last 23 3-point attempts.

Seattle, which was led by Skylar Diggins’ 22 points, initially controlled the pace of play, taking an 18-12 lead when forward Ezi Magbegor converted a three-point play with 3:52 to go in the first quarter. But, the rest of the first half belonged to the Fever.

Mitchell gave Indiana its largest advantage of the first half on a 3-pointer with 58.1 seconds left in the second quarter. The Fever entered halftime with a 45-39 lead despite a quiet first half from Clark, who had just two points before the break.

Indiana did its job in ensuring a crowd featuring an assortment of Seattle celebrities went home quietly. Local legends like Sue Bird, Megan Rapinoe, Isaiah Thomas and Lenny Wilkens were all in attendance.

Indiana Fever Sign Guard Aari McDonald Through Remainder of Season

Wed, Jun 25, 2025, 11:00 AM

Today, the Indiana Fever have announced the signing of guard Aari McDonald, who previously featured in three games via the WBNA’s emergency hardship exception. Additionally, the Fever have waived guard/forward DeWanna Bonner.

Over her three games with the Fever this season, McDonald averaged 11.0 points per game, 3.0 assists per game and 2.0 steals per game.

Prior to her time with the Fever, the 26-year-old guard played for the LA Sparks and Atlanta Dream, averaging 8.6 points per game, 2.8 assists per game, and 2.0 rebounds per game over four previous seasons.

I’m so excited to rejoin the Fever. Although my time with the team was brief, it immediately felt like the place to be,” McDonald said. “I’m grateful for the warm welcome from the coaches, teammates, and fans—and most of all, I thank God for the incredible journey I’m on.”

“From the moment she arrived in Indy, Aari was a clear fit with the style and mentality we are building here with the Fever,” said COO & General Manager Amber Cox. “Though only here a few games, her impact as a playmaker and a defender was evident. We are very excited to welcome her back for the remainder of the season.”

Bonner, 37, signed with the Fever as a free agent ahead of the 2025 season. Over nine games played, Bonner averaged 7.1 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.6 assists.

“I want to sincerely thank the Indiana Fever for the opportunity to be part of the Fever franchise. Despite our shared goals and excitement heading into the season, I felt the fit did not work out and I appreciate the organization’s willingness to grant my request to move on, particularly at this point in my career,” Bonner said. “I wish the Fever great success as they continue to build around this dynamic group of young players.”

The Fever return to action on Thursday, June 27, hosting the LA Sparks at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in a 7 p.m. ET tipoff.

Fever rule Caitlin Clark (groin) out Thursday night vs. Sparks


Caitlin Clark will miss the Indiana Fever's game on Thursday night against the Los Angeles Sparks as she deals with a left groin issue, the Fever announced.

Coach Stephanie White said she found out about Clark's injury late Wednesday night, after the team's training staff had taken Clark for an MRI.

I think it's very much a day-to-day thing ... how she responds to treatment," White said Thursday when asked about a possible timetable for Clark's return.

Clark did not miss a game in college or her first year in the W, but she just over a week ago Clark returned from a left quad injury that held her out for five games.

The Fever went 2-3 without Clark between May 28 and June 10.

Since her return, she has averaged 17.8 points over five games, including a 32-point outburst in her first game back against the New York Liberty, handing the defending champions their first loss of the season. Clark hit seven 3-pointers in that game, but she's struggled of late from distance, making just 1 of her last 23 attempts from the 3-point line in her last three games, two of which the Fever lost.

Clark also missed Indiana's first preseason game on May 3 with a left leg issue. When Clark injured her quad, Fever coach Stephanie White said that was not related to her preseason injury. It's unclear if this groin injury is related and if she could miss an extended period of time.

Clark is averaging 18.2 points on 39% shooting, including 29.5% from 3, 8.9 assists and 5.6 rebounds per game through her nine games this season.

After Thursday's home matchup against the Sparks, the Fever get right back at it Friday night against the Wings in Dallas, something White says she'll consider regarding Clark's possible availability.

"Certainly, in my mind, it is," White said of the tight schedule. "At the same time, she has shown she's tough, and a quick healer, so we'll see."

After Friday's game in Dallas, Indiana has five days off before hosting the Las Vegas Aces next Thursday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

Azura Stevens, Kelsey Plum each score 20-plus and the Sparks beat the short-handed Fever 85-75


Azura Stevens scored 23 points, Kelsey Plum had 21 points and six assists, and the Los Angeles Sparks ended a four-game losing streak by beating the short-handed Indiana Fever 85-75 on Thursday night.

Indiana played without Caitlin Clark due to a groin injury. Clark had recently returned from a quad injury that kept her sidelined for five games. She returned on June 14 and scored 32 points to help the Fever to a 102-88 victory against the Liberty.

Plum made a 3-pointer with 4:13 left to give Los Angeles a 67-66 lead, its first since the opening minute of the second quarter. She added two free throws on their next possession to cap a 21-8 run spanning the third-quarter break.

Los Angeles sealed it by grabbing two offensive rebounds with under a minute to play. Dearica Hamby was fouled while making a layup to give the Sparks a 79-75 lead. She missed the free throw but Stevens grabbed it and completed a three-point play to make it 81-75 with 49 seconds left.

Hamby and Rickea Jackson each scored 14 points for Los Angeles (5-11).

Kelsey Mitchell led Indiana (7-8) with 20 points and Aliyah Boston had 12 points, 10 rebounds and five steals.

Indiana led 31-22 before Los Angeles went on an 8-0 run, capped by Shey Peddy's 3-pointer to get within one. Sophie Cunningham answered with a 3-pointer and the Fever led 34-30 at the break after forcing 15 turnovers.