The rest of the WNBA might not be ready for the energy the Fever are bringing to the league this year.
At least, that's how the team's President Kelly Krauskopf sees things. In an interview with Sportico, Krauskopf said the rest of the WNBA (and fans) are "going to see a very hungry group of players" this year.
"First, this is an extremely competitive group—that’s number one," she continued. "Everybody likes to talk about it, but these players really are about that. They’re extremely competitive. They love the game."
The idea that the Fever is wildly competitive is definitely not unknown. Caitlin Clark's collegiate career was fueled in part by her nearly legendary competitive spirit, the same thing that was also likely behind her post-Olympics improvement on the floor.
But the team is also bringing heat. "And then from a style standpoint, we added players that like to play up-tempo, that like to get out and run, score in transition," Krauskopf continued. "And I think you’re going to continue to see a fast-paced, really fun environment of basketball on the court that leads to a lot of scoring, a lot of fast-paced play."
Caitlin Clark is a menace in transition
Clark initially struggled a bit in transition as she adjusted to the pace of the WNBA, something that is to be expected for every rookie as they enter the league. The 2024 Olympics provided a needed opportunity to lock in and refine her game, and Clark came out of the gate a different, and improved, player after the Games.
From then on, it's been clear that Clark is an absolute menace in transition. When she's coming downhill the only person who knows what she is going to do is probably Caitlin Clark herself, which is part of what makes the Fever such maddening opponents for everyone else. If you can count on anything, it's that there's no way to be certain about where the ball is going, and that she's going to make sure that wherever that is, it gets there with precision.
And once the ball is moving, good luck getting it back if you can't keep up. The Fever play at a pace that is thrilling for fans and exhausting for the opposing team. There's no reason to think that this will change and to be completely honest, it's likely it's just going to get even more intense for everyone else.