Ahead of the 2026 campaign, Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark is confident in her squad.

She said the Fever will be the “favorite” to win it all during an NBC broadcast, though she added that Indiana’s roster is still coming together amid free agency. The priority, she said, is bringing back Kelsey Mitchell.

Clark also said that she’s thankful for the new collective bargaining agreement and those who worked to make it happen.

“Just excited and really thankful for everybody (in the WNBA and WNBPA),” she said. “People put a lot of time and energy into it, took time away from their families. They were having 10-hour meetings and they were up ’til 4am. Just really grateful and thankful.”

The new CBA means an increase in player salaries and the possibility of things like landing max deals earlier than before. Clark, who has already been named an All-WNBA player, will likely benefit from that.

Clark is a key reason for the growth of the WNBA and the subsequent rise in player salaries, but she said it was never her “goal to change women’s sports.”

“This was never my goal to change women’s sports,” she said. “I show up, played, and I loved every single second. I feel a responsibility to show up and put a smile on everybody’s face that buys a ticket and comes to watch us play.”

After an outstanding Rookie of the Year campaign, the 2025 season was one to forget for Clark. She played just 13 games while dealing with various injuries, putting up 16.5 points, 8.8 assists and 5.0 rebounds per game.

She’s hoping to bounce back strong from the injury-filled year, and she had the chance to warm up for the season while playing in FIBA World Cup qualifying matches a few weeks ago.

“More than anything, I really did feel like myself. I feel really healthy,” she said. “A lot of people put in a lot of time to get back there. It’s crazy to think it was 8 months. Just excited for the W season. I miss playing in front of fans in every city.”

Clark and the Fever have a pair of preseason games in late April and will open up the season against the Dallas Wings on May 9.