After the Indiana Fever made the playoffs in Caitlin Clark’s first season, staying with the status quo would have been easy. They could have kept the roster intact, retained Coach Christie Sides, hired a novice as GM, etc. But that’s not what happened.
Herb Simon owns the NBA’s Indiana Pacers, and he knows pro basketball, which means recognizing that Clark isn’t chained to his Fever. Consider what happened in Cleveland with LeBron James, who took his talent to South Beach in 2010. That’s why it was vital for Simon to show Clark that the Fever is all about winning.
Kelly Krauskopf (photo courtesy Indy Star)
It started last September by hiring Kelly Krauskopf as the Fever’s president of basketball operations. She’s experienced in building a championship culture and team. Doing for Clark today is what Krauskopf did for Hall of Famer Tamika Catchings, the best player in Fever history.
One of her first moves was to hire Amber Cox as the chief operating officer and general manager. Then, she hired Stephanie White as head coach. Again, White knows what it takes to win a WNBA championship. That hire screams to free agents, “Play for the Fever!”
With Krauskopf, White, and Cox in place, a rebuilt roster came next. Re-signing Kelsey Mitchell, with her veteran savvy, was a no-brainer. Then came acquiring sharpshooter Sophie Cunningham from the Mercury. She is known for making timely shots and presents a problem for anybody who guards her. That means Clark and Boston will get more touches.
Amber Cox, White, and Kelly Krauskopf (photo Indy Star)
The Fever also signed six-time All-Star and two-time champion Dewanna Bonner to provide even more veteran savviness. Having her in the fold means the team doesn’t have to face her, as it did last year when Bonner hurt the Fever with great defensive plays and timely shooting. Like with Cunningham, Bonner will be invaluable come playoff time.
There’s more! Signing three-time WNBA champion Natasha Howard and two-time WNBA champion Sydney Colson was another coup for Krauskopf, White, and Cox. These veterans know how to make shots, get stops, and, just as significantly, they add toughness to the roster–something the Fever lacked last season.
So it’s no accident that Clark talked about winning a championship during Media Day a few weeks ago. That’s what this offseason was all about. Now that the season is ready to begin, we all need to keep our eyes on the Indiana Fever–a club primed to make a championship run.
