On World Basketball Day, the Indiana Fever decided to honor its deserving roster in a unique way.

For the 2025 season, the Indiana Fever have been must-watch television. Those efforts translated into one of the most resilient runs in franchise history, ending with a hard-fought Game 5 loss in the semifinals against the Las Vegas Aces.

The team took to its official Instagram account on December 21st and penned the caption, “lil hoopers with big dreams 🥹❤️ throwback photos of the squad to celebrate #WorldBasketballDay 🏀,” while sharing throwback pictures of the squad. 

That included a glimpse of Caitlin Clark, Lexie Hull, Sophie Cunningham, Aari McDonald, Sydney Colson, Brianna Turner, and Makayla Timpson from their early days in the sport.

And undoubtedly, nothing could have been more fitting for occassion. The post reframed the narrative around success, reminding fans that the dominance seen today is the result of discipline, uncertainty, and years of relentless grind that began long before the spotlight.

But while the Fever celebrated the journey of this group, the future may look very different as soon as next season.

What’s Next for the Indiana Fever?

As things stand, only Aliyah Boston, Caitlin Clark, and Makayla Timpson are on rookie contracts. The rest of the roster are free agents, including core players such as Lexie Hull, Kelsey Mitchell, and Sophie Cunningham.

Indy currently has 17 players listed after adding multiple athletes on hardship contracts when injuries severely limited the roster. So far the franchise has already made it clear that bringing Kelsey Mitchell back remains a top priority.

However, everything hinges on the new collective bargaining agreement. While the league has reportedly offered increased salaries and improved revenue-sharing models, the players’ union has not been satisfied and has even hinted at the possibility of a strike. With uncertainty surrounding the CBA negotiations, anything could happen.

Written by

Yashika Dutta

Edited by

Oajaswini Prabhu