Caitlin Clark‘s fame has transcended the game of basketball. On the eve of her 23rd birthday, Clark has already ushered in a new era of women’s basketball, mostly on the strength of her stellar career for the University of Iowa Hawkeyes. After breaking the NCAA points record, Clark entered the WNBA as the #1 overall pick of the Indiana Fever — for whom she won Rookie of the Year honors and was named an All-Star on the way to ending Indiana‘s eight-year playoff drought.
With new head coach Stephanie White joining the Fever for 2025, expectations are sky-high in Indiana as hope grows that Clark can lead the franchise to its second WNBA championship while elevating her game to an MVP level. But as Clark sits alongside Taylor Swift and cheers on her Kansas City Chiefs in the NFL playoffs, problems may be bubbling just below the surface that could hurt the Fever’s title chances in 2025.
Fever set to lose a key locker room leader
Fever guard Erica Wheeler is a nine-year WNBA veteran who was selected to an All-Star team in 2019. Regarded as a versatile scorer and an underrated creator, Wheeler remained upbeat as she lost her starting role in Indiana’s backcourt to Clark in 2024 — but now, it seems Wheeler’s time in Indy is up, as a recent social media post has sparked speculation that she will leave the Fever in free agency next month.
Wheeler is (was?) a steadying veteran presence on a young Fever team; she took Clark under her wing and calmed the waters when Indiana hit turbulence amid a 3-10 start in 2024. After a game in September, Clark revealed how important Wheeler has been for her development as one of the most-hyped rookies in league history, as someone who could lead the Fever to the postseason thanks to 17 wins from their final 27 games.
“I think she understands me well,” Clark said. “She’s always there, whether the moments are great or not so great. She’s there to help me through it, or celebrate with me, no matter what. I think that speaks to her experience in this league. She knows how things go. She’s helped me navigate my rookie season, giving me insight into how the league works, what to expect, and what teams will try to do.”
However, Wheeler herself has disputed the interpretations of her social media post, calling her free agency flirtation “bait” for “invested folks”. It remains to be seen whether Wheeler heads for pastures new, one year before a new collective bargaining agreement will see salaries spike around the WNBA, but one thing is for certain: Wheeler will make her choice on her own terms.
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