The Fever’s season started with championship dreams. Now they’re battling just to keep players healthy enough to suit up. What should have been a celebration of their first playoff berth in nearly a decade has become a case study in surviving the unthinkable. Five season-ending injuries. Eighteen different players in uniform. A franchise record that nobody wanted to break.
How Did the Indiana Fever Become the WNBA’s Most Injured Team?
ESPN analyst Rebecca Lobo put the Fever’s injury crisis in stark perspective. Indiana stands alone as the only WNBA team in the past three years to lose five players to season-ending injuries. The Los Angeles Sparks dealt with four such losses in 2023, but the Fever’s total now represents a league high that no organization wants to claim.
The casualties tell the story of a season that went sideways fast. Caitlin Clark, Sophie Cunningham, Sydney Colson, and Aari McDonald all started multiple games before medical issues ended their campaigns. Forward Chloe Bibby joined the list late in the year, pushing the devastating total to five.
In the last three years, the Indiana Fever are the only team to have five season- ending injuries. Four of the injured players started multiple games. (LA had four season-ending injuries in 2023.)
Injury data: Lucas Seehafer (The IX)
Research help: @herhoopstats pic.twitter.com/m7lIz8BZiF
— Rebecca Lobo (@RebeccaLobo) September 9, 2025
This unprecedented injury wave forced Indiana to scramble for solutions. Hardship contracts became routine. Emergency signings turned into lifelines. The roster turnover reached historic levels, with 18 different players suiting up throughout the season. That’s the most in the WNBA, creating a revolving door that would challenge even the most experienced coaching staff.
Despite acknowledging the Fever exceeded expectations by reaching the playoffs, Lobo didn’t sugarcoat their postseason outlook. The realistic ceiling might be a first-round upset victory rather than the deep playoff run many envisioned when the season began.
Can Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston Carry This Depleted Roster?
Clark’s absence after just 13 games hit hardest. Lingering soft-tissue and groin injuries robbed Indiana of its primary playmaker and forced everyone else to step up. The pressure fell squarely on Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston, who responded by having career-defining seasons.
Mitchell answered the call with authority. She averaged over 20 points per game while breaking the franchise’s single-season scoring record. The veteran guard carried the offensive load night after night, proving she could be the go-to scorer this team desperately needed.
mooood when Kelsey Mitchell knocks down her fourth triple of the night 😤 pic.twitter.com/OFFMlwNBiS
— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) September 10, 2025
Boston provided the interior stability that kept Indiana competitive. Her 15.1 points and nearly 8.2 rebounds per game gave the Fever a reliable presence in the paint. Together, Mitchell and Boston formed the foundation that prevented a complete collapse when the injury bug struck repeatedly.
Head coach Stephanie White deserves recognition for managing this chaos. Nine different starting lineups across 43 games meant constant adjustments. That averages out to one lineup change every 4.8 games, yet somehow White kept the team focused and competitive.
Her ability to integrate late-season additions like Aerial Powers and Odyssey Sims proved crucial when the roster was in constant flux.
What Does a 24-20 Record Mean for the Fever’s Future?
The numbers tell an incredible story of perseverance. A 24-20 record represents Indiana’s best finish since 2015 and secured the No. 6 seed in the playoffs. For a team that dealt with unprecedented injuries and used more players than any other WNBA franchise, simply making the postseason feels like an achievement worth celebrating.
The postseason opens in mid-September with at least one guaranteed home game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Potential opponents like Atlanta, Las Vegas, or Phoenix will bring deeper rotations and more playoff experience. They’ll have the luxury of established chemistry and familiar faces in crucial moments.
But if the 2025 season proved anything, it’s that this Fever team refuses to fold under pressure. They’ve survived lineup shuffles that would destroy most franchises. They’ve found ways to win when key players couldn’t take the court. They’ve turned a season-long injury crisis into a playoff berth and their first winning record in nearly a decade.