The Indiana Fever were dealt both a brutal blow and a ray of hope on Sunday. The latter came earlier in the day, when for the first time since she went out with

Caitlin Clark’s WNBA arrival in 2024 fueled a charmed season for the Fever with record attendance, massive viewership and a return to the postseason for the first time in eight seasons. Her preseason quad injury this year was the first indicator that Indiana’s next step into contention became more challenging than expected.