Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark is praised by WNBA Coach of the Year, saying, “They don’t fear anyone.”

Before the Connecticut Sun and Indiana Fever game on Wednesday night, head coach Stephanie White of the Sun commended Indiana for their improvement thus far in the season.

The two teams have already met three times this year, with Connecticut winning each time. However, according to White, the team they’re playing today is quite different from the one they faced in May and June.

“The understanding of one another, the timing, the pace, the connectedness just wasn’t quite there early,” Indiana coach White said of his youthful team, which is still developing. “It’s currently there.”

The Fever began their season 1-8 and seemed destined for the lottery. But, they turned things around in mid-June, and have won 11 of their last 17 games. They now, ave a 2.5 game over the Sky for the #7 seed. If the playoffs started today, the Fever and Sun would face off.

White — the 2023 WNBA Coach of the Year — attributed the Fever’s growth to their improved chemistry and comfortability with one another, and in particular, with Caitlin Clark. Clark is averaging a league-best 8.2 assists per game, and set an all-time WNBA record for most assists in a game back in July.

“Everybody on the floor understands how, when and where Caitlin Clark can get them the ball. And so they get there,” White said. “Kelsey Mitchell’s obviously playing at another level now, and so it gives you another player on the floor that you have to be mindful of, on and off ball in isolation and in two-man.”

With an average of 26.3 points per game thus far in August, Mitchell leads the league in scoring. Aliyah Boston is now averaging 13.9 points and 9.2 rebounds per game after coming back from a bad start to the season. Wins have followed for Mitchell and Boston, who have both performed admirably without Clark.

“They play with much more rhythm, better timing, and multiple weapons on the floor,” according to White. “They also make quicker reads.”

Consequently, the Fever appear hazardous. The WNBA legend Sue Bird stated that the Fever are a team that nobody wants to see in the playoffs in a recent episode of her podcast, “A touch more.”

“We had one motto in 2018 and 2020—pace, pace, pace, pace—the years we won,” Bird remarked. And from what I’ve seen with Kelsey Mitchell and Caitlin, they seem to be forcing it down people’s throats. It can be quite difficult and leave your head spinning.

White appeared to reaffirm that during her Wednesday night pregame press conference.

“They’re playing with a lot of confidence,” stated White. They have no fear of anyone. They simply go out and have fun playing the game; it’s a challenging matchup.