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The Indiana Fever went 20-20 last season, earning the sixth seed in the WNBA Playoffs. Caitlin Clark and Co. were then swept out of the first round by the Connecticut Sun, ending a breakout season. After bringing in Stephanie White and adding around Clark and Aaliyah Boston, the Fever have high expectations.
However, Fever forward DeWanna Bonner doesn't believe that her new team doesn't have any pressure to win. She said as much during a press conference on Thursday alongside Clark and White.
“I don't really think that this team has any pressure to win,” Bonner said. “…we're just trying to figure out how we can put it all together to be successful…”
Fever fans took to social media to share their reaction to Bonner's statement, responding in a variety of ways.
“Natasha Howard said she wants to be MVP, their fans said they’ll win 38 games, media said they’re championship contenders but now DeWanna Bonner is scared. Is the Fever superteam scared of the pressure ??” asked one fan.
“Yeah, I’m not sure I buy that. While, I agree with her —they still have to win a playoff game/series first — the vibe is very much giving ‘we want to win now',” pointed out another.
“Right there it seems like Caitlin Clark and DeWanna Bonner when it comes to championship aspirations aren't on the same page. During media day, Clark was asked what a successful season looks like for her? She said, “A championship.” Natasha Howard was also talking about winning MVP, and now all of a sudden, Bonner comes out telling people to not expect a championship. Already, this is a bad sign,” said a concerned Fever fan.
“Lower expectations so if they don’t meet them it was to be expected. (No slander on cc). But if they do meet them they never let u hear the end about the greatness of 22. The perfect way to have it both ways. Vet statement lol,” commented another fan.
“It's not fair but the Fever are under intense pressure to win just as a result of having Clark on their roster,” explained one fan.
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“I think the Fever have a good chance of contending for a ring this year, but I’m not expecting them to win. They have a new coach and a bunch of new players so I’m expecting it to take awhile for them to gel as a team just like it would for any other team that has had significant changes,” said another, agreeing with Bonner.
“I think Bonner's comments are very wise because she knows what it takes to win a championship. With that being said, I wouldn't say it's solely been the fans and media pushing or applying this “win now” pressure. A lot of the moves made, some of the responses from the players, coaches, and organization have given “win now”, and understandably so,” another fan observed.
Last year's team featured Clark, Boston, and Kelsey Mitchell. They were an exciting team, especially when Clark was playing well. However, when the season entered a more intense stage, the Fever's youth and lack of offensive options were big weaknesses.
Indiana's front office spent the offseason addressing that problem. They added Bonner, Natasha Howard, Sydney Colson and other veteran players to the Fever roster. The addition of Stephanie White will, they hope, bring the team together and help it find balance. However, Clark had a different on what challenges the Fever face in 2025.
“We understand the spotlight,” Clark said. “We understand people expect this team to win, and that's exactly what we want to do… I think for me personally, I wouldn't want it any other way.”
