Although the Indiana Fever failed to make the playoffs for the seventh-straight season, 13 wins tied for the most the team has won during their seven-season absence from postseason play. And, seven seasons after the retirement of Tamika Catchings, the Fever finally have a foundational franchise player in Aliyah Boston, someone capable of not only leading Indy back to the playoffs but also of hanging a second banner.
Here’s what went right, what went wrong and what’s next for the Fever:
What went right?
This section could be filled with more praise and platitudes for Aliyah Boston. The No. 1 pick in the 2023 WNBA Draft and soon-to-be Rookie of the Year immediately established herself as an efficient offensive force and defensive floor raiser. With her production on both ends of the floor, she added her name to lists that only feature league legends.
First-year WNBA players to average
10+ PPG
8+ RPG
2+ APG
1+ SPG, and
1+ BPG:Lisa Leslie (1997)
Tamika Catchings (2002)
Candace Parker (2008)
Breanna Stewart (2016)
Aliyah Boston (2023)https://t.co/OZtSYAaDE1— Across the Timeline…
