On Friday, April 3, the WNBA’s new teams, the Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo, began building their rosters by separating two Indiana Fever players from the franchise, drawing mixed reactions from fans.

On April 3, the Fever beat reporter relayed the news with an X update. The caption to the update disclosed the two players who had to leave the Fever to join the Fire and the Tempo.  

It read, "Fever have two players selected in the expansion draft. Toronto Tempo selected guard Kristy Wallace, who elected to sit out the 2025 season due to personal reasons. The Tempo are coached by Aussie coach Sandy Brondello. Portland Fire take Chloe Bibby."

The Fever could protect only five players in the expansion draft, and while the list wasn’t public, it most probably included Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston, Lexie Hull, Kelsey Mitchell, and Makayla Timpson.

On the other hand, Bibby was a restricted free agent and could have added depth to the frontcourt on a minimum contract. However, she only played nine games in 2025 before a knee injury ended her season.

Wallace had a tough 2024 season, going from a starter to limited minutes under former coach Christie Sides. She averaged 4.7 points in 17.2 minutes across 26 games with 15 starts, then sat out the 2025 season for personal reasons, with her contract suspended, so the Indiana Fever retained her rights.

Losing Chloe Bibby and Kristy Wallace is not expected to impact the Fever much as they prepare for the 2026 season.

With the roster moves settled, attention quickly shifted to how fans reacted and what these changes mean for the Fever moving forward.

How Did Fever Fans React to the Deduction of the Two Players?

"Happy for them. Remember Chloe was cut last year until we picked her up. Glad she’ll have a chance at a permanent home," one user commented, expressing pleasure about the Fever players' entry into their new teams.

"Best of luck to them! Thrilled that Sophie and KK were not picked," another Indiana Fever fan commented.

Losing either player would have affected the team’s stability, especially since Sophie Cunningham became a fan favorite for her defense, shooting, and support for Caitlin Clark, with many hoping she would stay.

Kelsey Mitchell, meanwhile, is a key veteran scorer who has played an important role in the team’s recent progress. Since neither player was selected, both remain available for the Fever to re-sign in free agency.

The expansion teams, the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire, instead chose players like Kristy Wallace and Chloe Bibby. This gives Indiana more flexibility to keep its young core together while trying to bring back experienced players like Cunningham and Mitchell.

"Bummer on Bibby. I liked her game," another fan commented. And why wouldn't they like the rookie's game?

In her rookie season, Bibby played 14 games, averaging 11 minutes, 4.8 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 0.5 assists per game. She also shot 38.2% from the field, 40.5% from three, and 88.9% from the free-throw line.

She played 5 games for the Golden State Valkyries, averaging 6.4 points in 13.2 minutes, before being waived. She then joined the Indiana Fever, where she played 9 games and averaged 3.9 points in 9.8 minutes.

Now, with both Wallace and Bibby being Australian, it means that the Indiana Fever lost both of their Australian players.

So, how do you think this move might affect the Fever in the upcoming season?

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Written by

Sauramita Debbarma

Edited by

Souvik Roy