Indiana Fever facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Indiana Fever
Conference	Eastern
Leagues	WNBA
Founded	June 7, 1999; 26 years ago (1999-06-07)
History	Indiana Fever 2000–present
Arena	Gainbridge Fieldhouse
Location	Indianapolis, Indiana
Team colors	Red, blue, gold
Main sponsor	Salesforce
President	Kelly Krauskopf
General manager	Amber Cox
Head coach	Stephanie White
Assistant(s)	Briann January Karima Christmas-Kelly Austin Kelly
Ownership	Herb Simon
Championships	1 (2012)
Conference titles	3 (2009, 2012, 2015)
Commissioner's Cup titles	1 (2025)
Retired numbers	1 (24)
Heroine Explorer Rebel

The Indiana Fever is a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, USA. They play in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The Fever are part of the Eastern Conference. The team started playing in the 2000 WNBA season. Herb Simon, who founded Simon Property Group, owns the team.

The Fever have made it to the WNBA Playoffs in 14 of their 25 seasons. In 2009, they reached the WNBA Finals but lost to the Phoenix Mercury. In 2012, the Fever won their first WNBA Championship. They beat the Minnesota Lynx 3–1 in the series. Tamika Catchings was named the Finals MVP that year. The Fever returned to the WNBA Finals in 2015. However, they lost to Minnesota in a close Game 5.

Many great players have played for the Fever. Some of these include Tamika Catchings, Katie Douglas, Briann January, Natalie Williams, Yolanda Griffith, Shavonte Zellous, Tully Bevilaqua, Tammy Sutton-Brown, Natasha Howard, Candice Dupree, Cappie Pondexter, Erica Wheeler, Kelsey Mitchell, Lexie Hull, Aliyah Boston, and Caitlin Clark.

Team History

Starting the Team (2000–2004)

Lobby of Gainbridge Fieldhouse

The Indiana Fever team began in 2000. The WNBA announced on June 7, 1999, that Indiana would get a new team. This happened just as their home arena, Gainbridge Fieldhouse (then called Conseco Fieldhouse), was opening. A popular saying for the team was, "In 49 states it's just basketball, but this is Indiana." This showed how much people in Indiana love basketball.

In their first two seasons, famous women's basketball coaches Anne Donovan and Nell Fortner led the team. In their first year, the team had a record of 9 wins and 23 losses.

The Fever picked University of Tennessee star Tamika Catchings in the 2001 WNBA Draft. Everyone had high hopes for the team that year. But Catchings tore her ACL in a college game. She missed her entire first WNBA season. The Fever finished with 10 wins and 22 losses in 2001.

After missing 2001, Tamika Catchings had a fantastic 2002 season. She quickly became one of the best players in the WNBA. Catchings easily won Rookie of the Year and made the WNBA All-Star team. The team played well and finished with a 16–16 record. They tied for the last playoff spot with the Orlando Miracle. Indiana won the tiebreaker and made the playoffs for the first time. They played the top-seeded Liberty and lost 2 games to 1.

The team saw many changes before the 2003 season. They added Olympian Natalie Williams and Charlotte Sting star Kelly Miller. Coach and General Manager Nell Fortner resigned. Kelly Krauskopf became the new GM and hired Brian Winters as head coach. On May 29, 2003, the Fever had their first sold-out game. They beat the Washington Mystics on national television. The team improved but missed the playoffs with a 16–18 record.

The 2004 season was similar to 2003. The Fever finished 15–19. They missed the playoffs by just one game.

Playoff Runs (2005–2007)

In 2005, the Fever had their best season yet, with a 21–13 record. They made the playoffs for only the second time. In the first round, the Fever swept the New York Liberty 2–0. This was their first playoff series win. In the Eastern Conference Finals, they faced the strong Connecticut Sun. The Sun won both games, sweeping the Fever.

Before the 2006 season, the Fever made some big trades. They got All-Star Anna DeForge from the Phoenix Mercury. They also signed free agent Tamika Whitmore from the Los Angeles Sparks. In the 2006 WNBA draft, they picked La'Tangela Atkinson and Kasha Terry.

Outside Gainbridge Fieldhouse, home of the Fever

The Fever started the 2006 season with a 4–0 record. They quickly took the lead in the Eastern Conference. Tamika Catchings and Tully Bevilaqua led the league in steals. The Fever finished 21–13 and made the playoffs again. They played their rival, Detroit, in the first round. Detroit won Game 1 in Indianapolis. In Game 2, Tamika Whitmore scored a WNBA Playoff record 41 points. But Detroit won the game and the series 2–0.

For the 2007 season, the Fever wanted to improve their play near the basket. They added veteran forward Sheri Sam in the Dispersal Draft. They also signed key free agent center Tammy Sutton-Brown on March 22, 2007. The Fever also drafted 6–7 center Alison Bales from Duke University.

The Fever aimed for the WNBA Finals in 2007. They started strong, winning 16 of their first 20 games. This was the best start ever for an Eastern Conference team. But on July 20, Tamika Catchings injured her foot. She missed the rest of the regular season. The Fever finished 5–9 without her. They earned the #2 seed in the Eastern Conference Playoffs. They played the Connecticut Sun in the first round. Game 1 was a long battle, going into three overtimes. The Sun won 93–88. The Fever won Game 2 at home, forcing a Game 3. In Game 3, the Fever were down by 22 points. But they made an amazing comeback, winning in overtime 93–88. This was the largest comeback in WNBA Playoff history.

In the Eastern Conference Finals, the Fever played their other rival, the Detroit Shock. The Fever won Game 1 at home. They were just one win away from the WNBA Finals. But in Game 2, the Shock took control and won easily. In Game 3, Catchings got another injury, tearing her Achilles tendon. The Shock won Game 3, 85–61.

New Coach and Big Trade (2008)

On October 26, 2007, the Fever announced that head coach Brian Winters would not return. He had coached the team for four years. On December 12, 2007, assistant coach Lin Dunn became the new head coach.

In a major trade, the Fever traded Tamika Whitmore and a draft pick for Indianapolis native Katie Douglas. This happened on February 19, 2008.

The Fever played in the Liberty Outdoor Classic. This was the first regular-season professional basketball game played outdoors. It was against the New York Liberty at Arthur Ashe Stadium in Flushing, New York. The Fever won the game 71–55 on July 19, 2008.

The Fever struggled in 2008 compared to previous seasons. They finished with a 17–17 record. They lost to the Detroit Shock in the first round of the playoffs.

Reaching the Finals (2009–2012)

The Indiana Fever in 2013, visiting the White House after winning their first WNBA championship.

After a tough 2008 season, the Fever wanted to do better in 2009. The team's owners said the Fever needed to be successful to stay in Indianapolis. The Fever took this seriously. They reached the playoffs as the top team in the Eastern Conference with a record of 22–12. In the first round, they swept the Washington Mystics. In the East finals, they beat their rival Detroit Shock to reach their first ever WNBA Finals. However, the Fever lost in 5 games to the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA Finals.

Because of their success in 2009, the Fever announced they would stay in Indianapolis for 2010 and 2011.

In 2012, the Fever made it to the WNBA Finals again. This time, Indiana defeated the Minnesota Lynx 3 games to 1. This was the Fever's first WNBA championship title!

Championship Era and Beyond (2012–2016)

After the Fever won the 2012 WNBA championship, the team's management was recognized. General Manager Kelly Krauskopf was promoted to president of the team. The Fever competed for another title in 2015. They reached the finals for the third time but lost to the Minnesota Lynx in five games. In 2016, the Fever made the playoffs for the 12th year in a row. This is a WNBA record. However, they lost in the first round to the Phoenix Mercury. This game was also the last game of Tamika Catchings's amazing career. She had been the Fever's most important player since 2002.

Rebuilding Years (2016–2023)

The Indiana Fever versus the Minnesota Lynx on June 9, 2023 with Aliyah Boston blocking Tiffany Mitchell.

On November 18, 2016, the Fever announced Pokey Chatman as their new head coach. In February 2017, they traded for five-time All-Star Candice Dupree. Despite adding a veteran star and a new coach, the Fever had a very tough season. On August 12, 2017, the Fever lost to the Minnesota Lynx 111–52. This was the largest loss in WNBA history. They also allowed a league record 37–0 scoring run. The Fever finished with a 9–25 record. This ended their streak of 12 straight playoff seasons.

The Fever continued to struggle in 2018, finishing last with a 6–28 record. On March 4, 2019, Allison Barber became the new president and chief operating officer of the Fever. Catchings was named vice president of Fever Basketball Operations. The team picked Teaira McCowan third in the 2019 WNBA draft. The 2019 season showed some improvement, with a 13–21 record. They missed the playoffs by two games. After the season, coach and general manager Pokey Chatman was fired.

On November 27, 2019, Marianne Stanley became the Fever's new head coach. Catchings was also promoted to general manager.

Near the end of the 2019 season, the Fever announced they would play home games at Butler University's Hinkle Fieldhouse. This was for the 2020 and 2021 seasons, and part of 2022. This allowed for renovations at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. However, the 2020 WNBA season was played in IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For the 2021 season, the Fever played some games at Bankers Life Fieldhouse and others at Indiana Farmers Coliseum.

On February 14, 2022, Tamika Catchings stepped down from her role as general manager. On February 24, 2022, former Fever coach Lin Dunn became the team's interim general manager.

The team had difficult seasons in 2022 and 2023. They earned the top WNBA draft pick after both seasons. In 2023, the Fever chose South Carolina's Aliyah Boston as the first pick. The next season, with women's college basketball becoming very popular, the Fever chose Iowa's Caitlin Clark first overall. Drafting Clark led to a huge increase in interest for the team and the WNBA. TV ratings for the 2024 WNBA draft (2.5 million viewers) were higher than many games played in the previous 25 seasons.

The Caitlin Clark Era (2024–Present)

The Fever had a big change in their first season with Caitlin Clark. They finished the 2024 regular season with a 20–20 record. This marked their first playoff appearance since 2016. Clark averaged 19.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 8.4 assists per game. She became the first rookie to lead the WNBA in assists. Teammates Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston also played very well.

Thanks to Clark, Fever home games in 2024 averaged over 17,000 fans. This was even more than their male counterpart, the Pacers, on a per-game basis. The Fever also attracted large crowds when playing away games. They set many WNBA television records, with viewership numbers not seen since the league's early days. The sixth-seeded Fever lost to the Connecticut Sun in a two-game sweep in the first round.

In August 2024, the WNBA announced that the Fever would host the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game in July 2025. This is the first time the Fever will host this event. Tickets for All-Star weekend events went on sale on April 29, 2025, and sold out in seven hours.

The Fever announced on October 27, 2024, that they had parted ways with head coach Christie Sides. On November 1, 2024, the team announced that Stephanie White would return as head coach.

Team Look

Logo

The Fever's logo was created in 1999 by designer Todd Radom. He said the logo was inspired by the "Hoosiers" era of basketball in Indiana. This refers to a classic time in the state's basketball history.

Uniforms

• 2000–2006: Home jerseys were white with red, dark blue, and yellow on the sides. "Fever" was written across the front. Road jerseys were dark blue with red and yellow on the sides. "Indiana" was written in red with white trim on the chest.
• 2007–2010: Home jerseys were white with blue and yellow stripes. "Fever" was in red on the front. Player names were dark blue, and numbers were red with dark blue trim. Road jerseys were dark blue with yellow and white trim. "Indiana" was in red with white trim. Each jersey had the Fever's alternate logo on the back.
• 2011–2012: The uniforms changed slightly with new Adidas technology. Home uniforms remained white. The "Fever" wordmark was now navy with red and yellow trim. Numbers were rounded and red. Away uniforms stayed mostly the same.
• 2013–2015: Finish Line became the uniform sponsor. The uniform design stayed the same, but with a new number style and the sponsor's logo.
• 2016: For the league's 20th season, all games featured all-color uniforms. The Fever introduced a yellow jersey to go with their navy uniform.
• 2019: Salesforce became the new uniform sponsor, replacing Finish Line. The front of the jersey also featured AT&T, a new WNBA partner. The player's number was only on the back of the jersey.

Season Records

Players

Current Roster

Former Players

Retired Numbers

Basketball Hall of Fame Members

Coaches and Staff

Owners

• Herb Simon (2000–present), also owns the Indiana Pacers
• Melvin Simon (2000–2009), former co-owner of the Indiana Pacers

Head Coaches

General Managers

• Nell Fortner (2000–2003)
• Kelly Krauskopf (2004–2017)
• Pokey Chatman (2018–2019)
• Tamika Catchings (2020–2022)
• Lin Dunn (2022–2024)
• Amber Cox (2024–present)

Assistant Coaches

• Shelley Patterson (2000–2003)
• Julie Plank (2000–2007)
• Lin Dunn (2004–2007)
• Jim Lewis (2008–2010)
• Gary Kloppenburg (2008–2011, 2015–2016, 2022)
• Stephanie White (2011–2014)
• Mickie DeMoss (2012–2013)
• Sylvia Crawley (2014)
• Gail Goestenkors (2015)
• Steven Key (2016–2017)
• Jessica Miller (2017–2019, 2023–2024)
• Christie Sides (2018–2019)
• Steve Smith (2020–2021)
• April (McDivitt) Schilling (2020)
• Le'Coe Willingham (2020)
• Jhared Simpson (2021–2022)
• Vicki Hall (2021–2022)
• Carlos Knox (2022)
• Karima Christmas-Kelly (2023–present)
• Paul Miller (2023–2024)
• Austin Kelly (2024–present)
• Briann January (2025-present)

Team Statistics

Media Coverage

Tegna Inc. holds the television rights for the Fever games. Games are shown on various local channels. These include WTHR, WTHR-DT3 or WALV-CD in Indianapolis. Other channels are WCIX or WCIA in Champaign-Springfield, WXIX-DT3 in Cincinnati, and WQAD-TV or WQAD-DT3 in Davenport. You can also watch on WKEF-DT3 in Dayton, WOI-TV or KCWI-TV in Des Moines, and WFIE-DT2 in Evansville. Further coverage is on WPTA-DT3 in Fort Wayne, WPBY-LD or WPBY-DT2 in Lafayette, and WKYT-DT2 in Lexington. Finally, games air on WHAS-TV or WHAS-DT2 in Louisville, and WCWW-LD, WMYS-LD or WNDU-DT2 in South Bend.

The broadcasters for Fever games are Pat Boylan, Debbie Antonelli, and Tully Bevilaqua. Some games are also shown nationally. These national channels include ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, Ion Television, NBA TV, CBS, and CBS Sports Network.

Chris Denari was the team's Play-by-Play Announcer from 2000 to 2017.

See also

In Spanish: Indiana Fever para niños