For two straight years, the Indiana Fever were sitting pretty, gleefully plucking franchise-altering talent from the top of the WNBA draft like a kid in a candy store. They snagged Aliyah Boston in 2023 and followed up by grabbing Caitlin Clark in 2024, because why not take two of the best prospects in recent memory? Fast forward to 2025, and suddenly, they’re not even invited to the lottery anymore—how rude! Instead, they’re left with the No. 8 pick. Not quite the shiny top-shelf stuff, is it?
Sure, the Fever made their first playoff appearance since 2016—big deal. Who needs championships when you’ve got draft drama, right? But now, reality is setting in. Picking eighth means they’re more likely to walk away with a “solid option” than a Paige Bueckers or Kiki Iriafen superstar type. You know, the kind of players who make you do a victory lap before they’ve even put on the jersey. So what’s left? Well, according to IndyStar’s Chloe Peterson, the answer is…potentially five names. Woo-hoo?
Peterson’s list of “maybe-they’ll-work-out” players includes UCLA’s Janiah Barker, LSU’s Aneesah Morrow, Notre Dame’s Maddy Westbeld and Sonia Citron, and North Carolina State’s Saniya Rivers. A fine bunch, no doubt, but they don’t exactly scream, “Future Hall of Famer,” do they? Meanwhile, Fever president Kelly Krauskopf is standing firm on her plan to add experience to the starting lineup. Spoiler alert: That doesn’t happen through the draft. But who doesn’t love a good rebuild?
Given their newfound taste for winning, Indiana might actually want to trade away that shiny No. 8 pick for some seasoned talent. Krauskopf is eyeing a veteran forward at the four spot, and honestly, who could blame her? The current starting forward, NaLyssa Smith, is practically packing her bags after three seasons, while Kelsey Mitchell is preparing to test the free agency waters, just to keep things interesting. What’s a WNBA team without a little chaos?
For now, Fever fans can cling to the hope that the team’s No. 20 and No. 33 picks might uncover hidden gems in the 2025 draft. But let’s be real: at those spots, they’re basically playing the basketball equivalent of a scratch-off lottery ticket.