Lexie Hull is proving herself as an essential two-way player amid the team’s early-season struggles and the temporary loss of rookie star Caitlin Clark, and her on-court effort and determination have not gone unnoticed-especially by those closest to her.
Lexie‘s mother, Jaime, offered a insightful glimpse into the physical toll her daughter is enduring to keep pace in the WNBA as she aims to step into the role vacated by the Indiana Fever guard, who is nursing a quadriceps injury.
“And this is why she lives in an ice bath!! Lol,” Jamie said online, responding to a social media post from the Fever’s broadcaster, John Nolan, who praised her daughter’s performance as the stand-in.
Nolan had highlighted Hull’s top-tier three-point shooting and her unmatched ability to draw offensive fouls, key metrics that point to her rising value as she leads the WNBA in three-point percentage, converting 55.6% of her attempts (10-of-18), and has also won 12 offensive fouls.
At 25 years old, the former Stanford standout has stepped up in a significant way for the Fever, averaging 10.7 points, 4 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.1 steals across 30 minutes per game as she tries to reduce the void left by the talented 23-year-old Clark.
Adjusting without Clark: Hull takes the lead
But despite the numbers, her path in the league has been anything but smooth in the days since the May 24 matchup against the reigning champion New York Liberty, as the Fever have had to reconfigure their offensive identity.
Clark, the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year, had been averaging 19.2 points and 8.4 assists before her injury and her absence has placed increased responsibility on players like Hull to pick up the pieces.
“Defenses play us different without Caitlin out there,” Hull said, explaining why things are different for the Fever. “So we’re just trying to figure out what our best looks are. And it’s going to be a learning process.
“It feels a little bit like we’re starting over with a different group because everything’s a little bit different without her out there. But we’re excited about the opportunity to have everybody step up.”
The Indiana Fever, currently sitting at 3-4, continue to work toward chemistry and consistency and recently scored a big win against the Washington Mystics to move back into third in the Eastern Conference, where they trail the Liberty by 4.5 games.
While Clark‘s injury is expected to keep her out for at least another week, Hull’s development could be critical for the team’s long-term trajectory and their bid to make it to the WNBA Playoffs.
So as she endures the daily grind, earning bruises and recognition alike, her mother’s words offer a reminder: behind every high-level stat line is a reality of sacrifice and resilience.
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