Indiana Fever coach Christie Sides is taking full advantage of the WNBA's Olympic break to fine-tune her team's performance and build stronger team chemistry. With 11 out of 12 players remaining in town, Sides sees this period as a crucial time for the team to practice together and implement new strategies.
“The time that we’re going to get to spend, that will help chemistry-wise,” Sides said, as reported by Stephen Hunt of The Spokesman-Review. “This is when they’ll get to practice and spend some time together not just on the road. So, they’ll get some time. Also, we’ll get to do some things differently. We’ll have time to implement new stuff. We’ll have time to tweak things, add things, and that’s exciting because we see what we have out there and what we can do.”
The Fever's only absentee during the break is Kristy Wallace, who will be representing Australia at the Olympic Games. This leaves a core group, including star rookie Caitlin Clark, to focus on strengthening their play and integrating new tactics.
The Fever’s journey this season has been a testament to resilience. Starting with a 1-8 record, the team has turned things around, achieving a 10-7 run to stand at 11-15 going into the Olympic break. The improvement has reignited hopes of making the playoffs, a feat last accomplished in 2016.
“Resiliency is the word to describe how the team has evolved,” Sides said. “What these guys have endured from 1-8, that start, facing the best teams in the league, early back-to-backs, it was just tough. It was tough on them and tough on all of us with the expectations, that was even another game changer. Just that they kept showing up. They kept showing up, trying to get better even when we couldn’t practice, it was in video. Just the resiliency that they’ve shown, I’m just so proud of them for that.”
Indiana Fever experiencing newfound attention
For Lexie Hull, the Olympic break comes at a time when she’s experiencing a season similar to her rookie year in 2022. Coming off the bench for most games, Hull has appeared in 20 games this season and made one start.
“Yeah, it’s a long season. The games go up and down,” Hull said before the Fever's last game before the break against Dallas on July 17. “We’re playing well or we’re not playing well, so it’s just figuring out where you can make an impact and staying ready as much as I can. I feel like that’s what I’ve been doing this season and trying to be as prepared as I can be.”
Since Clark was selected first overall in the WNBA draft, she has brought significant attention to the Fever, drawing sellout crowds and creating a carnival-like atmosphere at games. Hull appreciates the support and the energy it brings to the team.
“It’s just really exciting, everything about it. Playing in sold-out arenas pretty much every game, it’s really cool,” Hull said. “It’s really cool for the sport and for our team. We’re a pretty young team that’s building, so to build and grow in an environment like that is really special.”
During the break, Hull and Clark plan to travel to Mexico for some relaxation before resuming practice. Hull looks forward to this downtime and cherishes the bond she has developed with Clark.
“She’s a great person and a great player. It’s fun to get to know her outside of the court, outside of basketball,” Hull said. “She’s actually coming to Mexico with me. It’ll be a fun getaway for us.”
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