Season In Review: Indiana Fever


As the end of 2021 draws near, WNBA.com is wrapping up this 25th season by recapping each team’s season. Take a look back at notable contributors and season highlights with the 2021 Season In Review. Next up is the Indiana Fever.

Overview:

Losing the majority of their core players in the off-season, General Manager Tamika Catchings signed veterans Jantel Lavender, Jessica Breland, and Danielle Robinson to the team for some much-needed veteran experience. Additionally, the Fever drafted 5-foot-9 guard Kysre Gondrezick at No.4.

While the Fever hoped to qualify for the post-season, unfortunately, they were met with many injuries. Consequently finishing the season with a 6-26 record. Despite this, there were positives for the Fever this season.

Kelsey Mitchell and Teaira McCowan both had another successful season of individual play. Mitchell finished 8th in scoring in the league (17.8 PPG), and McCowan had a career-best season across the boards 11.3 PPG, 9.6 RPG and 1.6 BPG. Off the court, the Fever had some of the coldest jerseys in the league.

During free agency, Catchings will look to build a playoff-contending team. The Fever have six players from last season’s roster who aren’t under contract for next season. It will be interesting to see how Catchings rebuilds this team to lay the groundwork for future success. Thankfully, the Fever will have some help with this, as they have a 44.2% chance of winning the No.1 overall pick in the Draft Lottery.

Top Contributors:

Kelsey Mitchell

In her fourth season with the Fever, Kelsey Mitchell continued to be the main offensive option for the team, leading the Fever in scoring with 17.8 PPG. Additionally, it was a scoring best for the 5-8 guard, having the highest-scoring season in her career with 569 points. Mitchell ended this year on a 23-game streak where she scored at least 10 points per game. On September 19th vs. the Chicago Sky, the shifty guard scored 32 points on 12-of-17 shooting.

Tiffany Mitchell

The other Mitchell on the team also had a solid season of individual play. Mitchell brought a consistent presence to the Fever, averaging 12 points per contest. During the 2020 season, she held the fifth-longest regular-season streak at 10 games of scoring at least 10 points. On June 9th against the Chicago Sky, the 5-10 guard dropped a season-high 20 points on 7-of-14 shooting.

Teaira McCowan

This season, Teaira McCowan dominated the paint for the Fever. In just her third year, the 6-7 center not only had a career-best season across the board but solidified herself as the rebounding queen for the Fever. She led her team in rebounds and is already the fifth leading rebounder in franchise history. Additionally, McCowan ranked third in rebounds, fifth in shot-blocking, and eighth in field goal percentage (53.7%) in the WNBA. On May 14 against the New York Liberty, McCowan had a season-high 22 points on a career-best 10 made field goals.

Season Highlights:

Danielle Robison’s Game Winner vs. Dallas Wings

On August 20th against the Dallas Wings, with 7.2 seconds left, Robinson executed a three-point play. This play sealed the deal for the Fever and gave them an 83-81 win over the Wings.

Three-Game Win Streak

Between July 3rd and July 11th, the Fever won three straight games against the Connecticut Sun, Atlanta Dream, and the New York Liberty.

 First Time All-Five Starters Finished in Double Figures Since 2019

On July 11th in a matchup against the Atlanta Dream, all five starters finished in double-figures, led by Teaira McCowan (22 PTS, 14 REB). This was the first time this had happened for the Fever since 2019. With everyone pitching in, the team defeated the Dream, 79-68.