4 Lessons the Fever should learn from the Aces failed 3-peat

The Indiana Fever have the brightest young superstar in the W, and Caitlin Clark is changing the game. The rookie finished fourth in MVP voting and broke several records. She is just getting started. The first order of business for the Fever is improving their roster around her.

The Las Vegas Aces won back-to-back championships in 2022 and 2023 before failing to the New York Liberty in the semifinals this season. They were the first team to repeat since the Sparks in 2002 and only three franchises have accomplished it in WNBA history.

The Fever want to be the next great franchise. They have their superstar and have a plan to build around her. Here are lessons worth learning from the Aces' back-to-back championships and failed bid to 3-peat.

4. Winning is difficult

Basketball is an unforgiving game. Even the all-time greats fail multiple times before finally breaking through to win a title. It took Diana Taurasi four years to win her first championship. Fever GOAT Tamika Catchings did not get a ring until her 12th season in the W. Cynthia Cooper and Maya Moore won as rookies, but Cooper was 34 years old. Fans can look over the NBA for plenty more examples of early struggles.

Some of the all-time greats never win a championship. A’ja Wilson may be the best player of this era, but she didn’t win it all until her fifth season. It takes time, development, and heartbreak to reach your peak. The Fever hope to speed up that process with Clark, but it won’t be easy.

Indiana needs veteran players who have been deep into the playoffs. The reigning Rookie of the Year will have the ball in her hands, but experience wins on the biggest stages. Chelsea Gray, Riquna Williams, and Kiah Stokes were veterans acquired in 2021 that helped propel the Aces.

The Fever need those veterans to mesh with Caitlin Clark to win one championship. That isn’t easy and it only gets more challenging.

3. Things change when going from hunter to hunted

Chasing a championship is difficult, but defending one is even harder. Every team wants to knock you off the mountain top and the outside noise gets more distracting. Aces head coach Becky Hammon discussed how things were different in a playoff press conference.

“The whole league has been pissed off for the last eight months, and my players are in commercials and this and that and being freaking celebrities. You get distracted. That’s why it is hard. Human nature is distracting.”

Clark already has the popularity, but she cannot let it distract her from improving her game and keeping the main goal in focus. The Aces slipped a bit after two straight championships and a hungry squad in search of their first ring knocked them off.

The Fever are the young and hungry lion right now, but they must keep that fire and focus to win multiple rings. It is one of the toughest tasks in sports and nobody can do it alone.

2. Having the best player is not enough

The WNBA MVP has been on the championship team just 11 times in 28 seasons. Elite talent helps a franchise win games but does not guarantee a championship. A’ja Wilson won her first MVP in 2020 and did not win a ring until 2022. She was MVP this season and failed to bring home the championship.

The Indiana Fever must improve their depth, talent, and defense around Caitlin Clark. She is a walking top three offense, but her team needs a better D to seriously contend. They quickly ran out of options in their first-round loss to the Sun, so adding talent and depth is a must. The Fever have one of the best players in the W, but need an upgraded supporting cast.

1. Keep upgrading

The Aces added Alyssa Clark between their 2022 and 2023 championships, and the veteran wing promptly picked up her third championship. This season, Las Vegas acquired Tiffany Hayes but was unable to repeat. Many championship rosters stagnate and it keeps them from winning again.

The Fever should keep upgrading around Caitlin Clark. It could be anything from acquiring another star to adding one more option off the bench that Indiana can use in the playoffs. They do need to be wholesale changes, but incremental moves are the key to making multiple runs.

New Fever president Kelly Krauskopf has experience building a championship roster and just helped the Pacers reach the conference finals in the NBA. She must lean on that knowledge in creating her rosters around Clark. Expect plenty of moves in hopes of winning a championship. It won’t be easy, but learning from the Aces would help.