Fever celebrate winning first round playoff series in Atlanta

By Wheat Hotchkiss | FeverBasketball.com

2025 was a year to remember for the Indiana Fever. The Fever made impact additions to their young core, got career seasons from multiple stars, helped Indianapolis host WNBA All-Star for the first time, and made the franchise’s deepest playoff run in a decade despite enduring several season-ending injuries.

As the calendar prepares to flip to 2026, we decided to take a look back at the biggest stories from an unforgettable 2025.

Fever Make Significant Splash in Free Agency

After making the playoffs in 2024 for the first time in eight years, the Fever set out to bring in veteran leadership last offseason with aspirations for a deeper postseason run in 2025.

Kelly Krauskopf returned to the franchise as President of Basketball and Business Operations in late 2024. Krauskopf brought in Amber Cox as COO/General Manager and hired Stephanie White for her second stint as head coach of the team she led to the WNBA Finals in her rookie season as a head coach in 2015. That group made major moves early in 2025 that helped set the stage for the Fever’s success.

The headline move was signing Natasha Howard, a former Fever draft pick who won three championships, made multiple All-Star teams, and won both the WNBA’s Most Improved Player and Defensive Player of the Year awards in her stops after leaving Indiana. The Fever also signed veteran point guard and two-time champion Sydney Colson and brought in sharpshooter Sophie Cunningham and center Brianna Turner, both of whom reached the WNBA Finals in 2021 in Phoenix.

The moves proved instrumental to the Fever’s success, as they all made significant contributions on the floor while also providing veteran mentorship to the Fever’s younger players.

Howard was a dependable presence in the frontcourt next to All-Star center Aliyah Boston, one of just four players to not miss any games in the Fever’s injury-riddled season. Howard averaged 11.4 points and 6.6 rebounds per game over 44 regular season contests and had some of her biggest performances under the biggest spotlight.

Cunningham quickly became a fan favorite for her all-out effort and averaged 8.6 points while shooting 43.2 percent from 3-point range before tearing her MCL in her right knee in August.

Colson was a dependable backup point guard behind Caitlin Clark early in the season and later Aari McDonald before her season also came to an early end due to a torn ACL. She was beloved in the locker room thanks to her fun-loving personality.

And Turner drew praise from both her teammates and coaches as the consummate professional. She was out of the rotation at times during the regular season, but kept working while supporting her teammates. She was called on for a larger role in the playoffs and stepped up, helping slow down league MVP A’ja Wilson as the Fever nearly upset the eventual champions in the WNBA Finals.

Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston before Fever preseason game at the University of Iowa

Clark Takes Center Stage at Preseason Game in Iowa

Preseason games are usually just exhibition contests used to warm up for the regular season, but the Fever played a game with significant meaning in May, even if it didn’t count toward the season standings.

Indiana traveled to the University of Iowa to take on the Brazilian national team in an exhibition on May 4 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The game was a showcase for the reigning Rookie of the Year Caitlin Clark, allowing her to return to the venue where she starred for four years in college on her way to becoming the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer.

The game had much more hype than a typical preseason contest, drawing a sold-out crowd. ESPN even picked up the game for a national broadcast, a first for a WNBA preseason contest.

The Fever rolled to a 108-44 win, with Clark scoring a game-high 16 points. She entertained the crowd and drew raucous ovations all night, hitting a 3-pointer for the game’s first points in the opening minute and closing her performance by drilling a three from 36 feet in the second half.

“It’s hard to put it into words what exactly it means to me,” Clark said. “It’s almost overwhelming. I’m just very thankful to come back to a place that continues to support me.”

Fever Deliver Statement Win in Season Opener

The Fever were in the national spotlight to tip off the 2025 season, hosting their Midwest rivals, the Chicago Sky, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in a nationally televised showdown on May 17.

Indiana sent a message to the rest of the league that day, absolutely demolishing Chicago in a 93-58 victory. Clark recorded her third career triple-double in the victory with 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. Boston was outstanding on both ends, tallying 19 points, 13 boards, and five blocks, while Kelsey Mitchell and Howard chipped in 15 points apiece.

The victory also secured a win for White in her first game back with the franchise as head coach.

The Fever’s dominance over the Sky was not just contained to that night. They won 79-52 three weeks later in Chicago and would wind up sweeping all five games against the Sky. The Fever won every game by at least 15 points, with an average margin of victory of 23.8. They won the five contests by a cumulative total of 119 points, the highest point differential by one team over another in a regular season series in WNBA history.

Fever celebrate winning 2025 Commissioner's Cup

Fever Capture Commissioner’s Cup

After winning the season opener, the Fever actually dropped four of their next five contests, but they found their stride just in time for the start of Commissioner’s Cup play. Indiana went 4-1 against its fellow Eastern Conference opponents to open June, highlighted by a 102-88 victory over the previously unbeaten Liberty on June 14 behind 32 points from Clark and 22 from Mitchell.

That allowed the Fever to advance to the Commissioner’s Cup championship game against Minnesota on July 1.

The Lynx were heavy favorites in the title game. They hosted it in Minnesota and entered the contest with a league-best 14-2 record and the early frontrunner for MVP honors in Napheesa Collier. The Fever, meanwhile, were without Clark due to a groin injury.

But the Fever went into a hostile environment and put together one of the most impressive defensive performances all season. They held Minnesota to just seven points in the second quarter and only 39 over the last three quarters, pulling away for a 74-59 victory.

Howard’s veteran experience was evident that night, as she tallied 16 points, 12 rebounds, and four assists to lead the Fever to victory and was the deserving choice for Commissioner’s Cup MVP.

The Fever prevailed thanks to a balanced effort, with Cunningham scoring 13 points off the bench and all three of Boston, Mitchell, and McDonald contributing 12 points from the starting lineup.

“I described this entire experience as a gut-check experience, and I mean it intentionally. I mean, physically, mentally, psychologically,” Mitchell said. “We did an unbelievable job of just staying together and weathering the storm.”

Aliyah Boston, Caitlin Clark, and Kelsey Mitchell at WNBA All-Star 2025 in Indianapolis

Indiana Hosts WNBA All-Star

All eyes were on Indianapolis just a few weeks later as the Circle City hosted WNBA All-Star for the first time. Less than 18 months after setting a new standard when hosting NBA All-Star 2024, the city did the same thing for the WNBA version of the event, drawing record crowds to downtown Indianapolis.

The Fever were well represented in the All-Star festivities, with Clark, Boston, and Mitchell all earning All-Star selections for the second straight season. Clark was selected as one of two captains for the game along with Collier and chose both her Fever teammates to play on “Team Clark.”

Clark was unable to participate in either the 3-point contest or the All-Star Game due to injury, but still took part in all the weekend’s festivities. Her Fever teammate Lexie Hull replaced her in the 3-point contest.

In the All-Star Game, Mitchell scored 20 points and Boston tallied nine points and six rebounds in the league’s annual showcase. Clark cheered on her teammates from the sidelines, taking on coaching duties. Afterward, all three players expressed great pride in getting to serve as hosts for their counterparts across the league.

“I think honestly the Fever have done an amazing job of just making this city so fun and just showing people how full of life it is,” Boston said.

“This is how Indy does it. Indy pours into you. Everyone pours into you. It’s such a sports city, it’s such a sports town. When we have these events, we continue to show why Indy’s the best city.”

Fever Persevere Through Adversity to Return to Playoffs

In many ways, injuries were the defining theme of the Fever’s 2025 campaign.

Clark played in only 13 games and did not appear after July 15. Cunningham and Colson suffered the aforementioned season-ending injuries in August. McDonald actually broke her foot and was lost for the year the same night that Colson tore her ACL. Promising rookie Chloe Bibby saw her season end early due to a knee injury and veteran center Damiris Dantas missed the entire playoffs with a concussion.

But the Fever were remarkably resilient amidst all that adversity. They added a number of players late in the season on hardship contracts, including Odyssey Sims, Shey Peddy, Aerial Powers, and Bree Hall. Sims wound up taking over the starting point guard role, while Peddy and Powers became key members of the rotation.

It was a true testament to White and the coaching staff that the new players were able to integrate into the lineup so well. There were bumps in the road as player after player went down, but the new-look Fever found their footing late in the regular season, winning five of their final seven contests to not only make the playoffs but secure the sixth seed.

“I don’t know that I’ve been through all of these things collectively in my career, let alone in one season,” White said. “But we also have a group that is ready to respond. There’s a difference in reacting to situations and responding to situations, and this group responds. And that fuels us.

“I feel like our coaching staff is creative. That’s one of our strengths. We’re creative. I feel like we are good at putting people in situations to be successful. You go from the gut punch of what happens to okay, how are we going to figure this out. This group behind us just rolls with that. It makes it easier when you’re going through these tough times when you’re doing it with great people.”

Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell

Mitchell and Boston Earn Well-Deserved Accolades

While Clark’s season was cut short due to injury, Mitchell and Boston stepped up and both put together career years.

Already known as one of the league’s best scorers, Mitchell took her game to new heights in 2025. She set a franchise record for scoring average at 20.3 points per game, breaking a record set by Tamika Catchings in 2003 (19.7 points per game). Mitchell led the WNBA in 3-pointers made with 111 and ranked second in total points scored (890).

Mitchell was not only named an All-Star, but was a two-time Player of the Week in 2025. She set another franchise record when she broke Catchings’ mark for most career 3-pointers in July and finished the season eighth in WNBA history in 3-pointers made despite not turning 30 until November.

Mitchell received her well-deserved flowers across the league in end-of-season voting. She placed fifth in MVP voting and became just the third player in franchise history to be named to the All-WNBA First Team, a distinction she now shares with Catchings and Clark.

“Kels is just one of a kind,” White said. “She’s someone who can get a shot whenever she wants, someone who can make plays, and she’s very understated in how she does it.”

Boston, meanwhile, continued to blossom in her third professional season. The first overall pick in the 2023 WNBA Draft averaged a career-high 15 points per game to go along with 8.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists. She set a franchise record with 17 double-doubles, ranked fourth in the WNBA in total rebounds, and led all centers in assists.

Boston’s 7.1 win shares ranked her as the fourth-best player in the entire WNBA. When she was on the floor, Indiana’s offensive rating was eight points higher and its defensive rating two points better than when she was off the court.

In addition to her All-Star nod, Boston also was named Player of the Week in early August and received multiple accolades at the end of the year. She was named to the All-WNBA Second Team and the WNBA All-Defensive Second Team. She is one of only five players in franchise history to receive each of those honors and one of just three (alongside Catchings and Katie Douglas) to be named to both the All-WNBA and All-Defensive teams.

And on a season where so many players went down with season-ending injuries, neither Boston nor Mitchell missed a single game, starting all 44 regular season and eight postseason contests.

Resilient Fever Make Remarkable Playoff Run

Even with their strong close to the regular season, the Fever were underdogs in the first round of the playoffs against the Atlanta Dream. Because of the short nature of the WNBA’s best-of-three series in the first round, they faced elimination right away after dropping Game 1 on the road.

But the Fever bounced back in their first home playoff game since 2016, pulling away in the second half for a 77-60 win at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, with Mitchell leading the way with 19 points. That set up a winner-take-all Game 3 in Atlanta.

Game 3 was a thriller. The Dream led 85-80 with just over two minutes to go, but the Fever closed the game with seven unanswered points, with Sims setting up Boston for the game-winning layup with 7.4 seconds remaining. All five starters scored in double figures, with Mitchell dropping 24 points, Sims adding 16 and eight assists, and Boston tallying 14 points, 12 boards, and six assists.

The Fever were even bigger underdogs in the semifinals against Las Vegas. But they delivered an immediate statement in the best-of-five series, blowing out the Aces in Las Vegas in an 89-73 victory in Game 1. Mitchell was spectacular, dropping a playoff career-high 34 points, while the defense of Boston and Turner limited A’ja Wilson to just 6-of-22 shooting.

The Aces responded by taking the next two games, but the Fever won 90-83 in Indianapolis in Game 4 to force a decisive Game 5 behind Mitchell’s 25 points and Boston’s 24 points and 14 rebounds. Indiana faced even more adversity in the final game of the season, as Mitchell exited in the third quarter due to severe cramping and Boston fouled out in the fourth. But even without their two stars, the Fever found a way to force overtime before ultimately falling in the extra session.

Though they came up short of their ultimate goal, the Fever won over fans across the globe with their remarkable display of resilience.

“They have been an absolute joy to coach,” White said after Game 5. “It’s an incredible group of women, an incredibly connected group. They’re a great example to everybody of what it means to put one foot in front of the other, to persevere, to welcome people into the fold, to not give in to circumstance, to lead with grace and dignity, to sacrifice for a greater good and a common good. I’m just so thankful to coach these women, and I’m just thankful for this experience with them.”

Looking Back at the Biggest Storylines from 2025