With just under three months left until the seasons return, it is time to get prepared for the 2023 WNBA season. Free agency has all but wrapped up. Aside from the draft, the rosters are set. So once a week until the season is back, I will be looking at one team. I will discuss the changes they have made and what to expect from them this season.
To build up, I will be going in reverse order from the standings a season ago. Therefore, the first team on the season previews will be the team also holding the number one overall pick in the 2023 draft: the Indiana Fever.
2022 Recap
Despite the record and their place in the standings, 2022 was a notable step forward for the franchise everyone loves to forget. Sure, they only won five games. Somehow, that was one less than in each of their previous two seasons. Even still, there is plenty to be positive about.
Kelsey Mitchell reminded the league that she is a force to be reckoned with. She was sixth in the league in scoring last year and would likely have pushed even harder if not for the focus on the rookies. She dropped 20 or more points in 17 of her 31 games. Surrounded by a cast not fully ready to support that into a playoff berth, Mitchell’s season went mostly unrecognized.
Her still not making an All-Star appearance in her career is befuddling and should change soon. As the roster continues to develop, Mitchell will be the veteran guiding the youth.
There was also a notable change in leadership this season. Lin Dunn, in the role of interim General Manager, moved on from Marianne Stanley. Stanley had been the head coach since 2020 and it was abundantly clear a change in voice was needed.
This team may not have won much during the season, but the change in the guard was notable. With a promising young core and new leader, one thing was clear.
There is a direction now.
The Rookies
The obvious place to start is NaLyssa Smith. After being drafted second overall, Smith had plenty to live up to. She destroyed all expectations.
Behind only Rhyne Howard in rookie scoring (13.5 points per game), Smith was also top among rookies in rebounds (7.9). There were only nine other players in the league to average 13 points and seven rebounds, and eight of them were All-Stars: Sylvia Fowles, A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, Candace Parker, Jonquel Jones, Alyssa Thomas, Natasha Howard, and Sabrina Ionescu. The ninth, Tina Charles, was nearly voted in as well despite changing teams midseason. If the Fever had more wins, Smith (as well as Kelsey Mitchell) would have had a real case for a place on the team.
She was not the only rookie that stood out, however. Queen Egbo was the perfect partner in the frontcourt for her former Baylor teammate. She tied for fifth in the league in blocks with the likes of Jonquel Jones and Sylvia Fowles. She grabbed more than 10 rebounds four times while sharing the court with another elite rebounder.
Emily Engstler, another rookie, also crashed the glass and tortured offensive players. She is going to be a problem for whoever she is tasked with guarding. It should not be a surprise if Engstler is threatening to crack an All-Defensive team as soon as this season. She is that much of a problem and takes pride in doing the dirty work for her teammates.
Destanni Henderson and Lexie Hull had moments too. This shows just how deep this rookie class was for the Fever. They needed to set the foundation for their next competitive team. With two All-Rookie level players and three other solid contributors, they did just that.
Offseason Overview
Out: Danielle Robinson, Tiffany Mitchell
In: Erica Wheeler, Maya Caldwell
2023 Draft: #1, #7, #13, #17, #25
Re-Signed: Victoria Vivians
The roster-building on the fringes was the next step for Indiana. Danielle Robinson was a solid veteran for the team for the last two seasons. Tiffany Mitchell saw her role noticeably diminish last season with the influx of younger talent, so a change of scenery made sense.
In come Erica Wheeler and Maya Caldwell. After being originally drafted by the team 33rd overall in 2021, Caldwell is hoping to finally make the roster. She was cut in training camp in 2021 then played nine games for the Atlanta Dream last season. Over the small sample, Caldwell shot the lights out and hopes to bring the same kind of spacing to her new squad.
Wheeler has been here before, having played four seasons in Indiana from 2016 to 2019. She made her only career All-Star appearance in that final season with the team. Now, Wheeler returns as more of a stabilizer than a star. Playing solid defense on the perimeter or at the point of attack while also providing a scoring bonus would fit well within this team.
Finally, bringing back Victoria Vivians was a solid choice. Last year saw Vivians in the starting lineup for the majority of the season and posted career highs in scoring, rebounding, assists, and steals. Bringing her off the bench this season may be more likely given the growth of the young core, but Vivians is more than capable of filling that role.
The most important moves, however, came with the winning of the draft lottery and signing Christie Sides to be their newest head coach. Sides was an assistant for the franchise from 2017 to 2019 and was an assistant in Atlanta last season. Working as an assistant in college, the WNBA, and overseas for the last 20 years, this will be her first chance as a head voice.
However, the upcoming draft is the most important moment for the franchise in a long time.
Prediction
Last season, the Fever were able to redefine their franchise with a core group of young players. All signs point to them bringing on South Carolina Gamecocks star Aliyah Boston as the new face of the franchise. Imagining the pairing of Boston and Smith will be a nightmare on both sides of the court. Rim protection, rebounding, and scoring will be plentiful.
We have seen the top teams in the league focusing on multiple bigs who can share the floor. Skilled size is the name of the next wave and while Indiana may not be jumping to contender status already this is the blueprint they are building on.
Personally, I think the Fever are going to surprise some teams this season. I still think they are likely to miss the postseason just because that is so much youth to try to win with immediately. However, doubling their win total should not be a problem. NaLyssa Smith and Kelsey Mitchell will have legitimate All-Star cases this season. Finally, the direction for this franchise is clear.
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