The Indiana Fever kicked off a series of WNBA season launch press conferences Thursday afternoon. Coach Stephanie White, Caitlin Clark, and DeWanna Bonner spoke to reporters for 20 minutes about their plans for the 2025 season, how the team can continue to maximize its strengths, and what the Fever needs to pull off a championship this season.
The conversation was varied and informative, with all three offering insight into everything from tunnel fits to trophies. Here are 3 takeaways from the Fever's season launch press conference:
The Fever has to focus on what the team can control
Coach White acknowledged that the Fever won't be a championship-level team in May, but a lot can happen in the weeks that follow. Building toward a championship is a matter of taking things "one step at a time," she explained. "We have to stack our days, we have to continue to hold ourselves and each other accountable."
White again emphasized that everyone on the Fever will need to be selfless for the team to realize this goal. "We've got to continue to build — and this team is hungry," she said. "But so many things have to fall in line." There's a lot that the Fever can't control at all, she added, and "we're just going to continue to get better."
Hate speech will not be tolerated
The beginning of the 2024 season was dominated by discourse surrounding a rise of Fever-related hate speech online. Some of that was directed at players on the Fever, but a lot was directed at players on other teams. Both Bonner and Clark made it clear that this season will not be a repeat of last year.
Bonner noted that there is "zero tolerance" for such speech going forward. "I think people sometimes don't realize that we have a life outside of basketball and we are human," she said. Fans should "be fans first of all" and allow the team to "put on the show for you for you to enjoy."
Bonner also noted that basketball is what every single person on the court loves to do, and hate speech takes away from that joy. "So don't make it about that," she continued. "Don't make it miserable for us to play — don't make it to where we're dreading to go out there and put on the best show for you."
Clark echoed Bonner's assertion that there will be "no tolerance" for such speech and credited Coach White with leading the way toward a friendlier atmosphere for everyone. "I think also our organization has done a tremendous job of getting out in front of those things too. Coach White has done a tremendous job," she added.
Caitlin might rock some Prada this season
Clark was surprised with a question about fashion, but just as happy to speak about how she dresses before a game as she was about any other part of the press conference. Clark acknowledged Prada, who dressed her for the 2024 WNBA Draft, is her favorite brand and added, "Honestly, I just kind of wear whatever my stylist tells me to. It makes it easy. It makes it easy to show up for games."