Entering the 2012 season, the Indiana Fever were viewed as a strong team, but definitely not the title favorites. The road was rocky, the odds not exactly in their favor. The Finals came and they lose Katie Douglas and Jeanette Pohlen. That could’ve ended the story right there. But Tamika Catchings and the bench had different plans. They held it down and brought Indiana its first-ever championship. Fast forward to 2025, there’s a new name leading the charge– Caitlin Clark. While it’s a different era, one thing feels the same…the Fever are once again a strong, hungry team with something to prove. And the pressure? It’s on!

The Fever knows it has all the spotlight right now as they plan on utilizing Caitlin’s skills better. With the fourth-best odds heading into the season, they definitely are the storyline. As Clark put it, “We understand the spotlight, we understand people expect this team to win and that’s exactly what we gonna do for our fans and this organization.” And her one-word promise after her homecoming game at carver Hawkeye Arena when Holly Rowe asked the goal of the season– “Championship”– only adds to the pressure on the new team. However, with the addition of some veterans, is everyone feeling it?

Not DeWanna Bonner. Closing yesterday’s media availability, a reporter asked Caitlin, Bonner, and HC Stephanie White, “You guys have talked a lot about managing pressure but it also feels like something that you guys have embraced. I’m curious if you guys have talked about or think about just using pressure as a tool to your advantage.”

Stepping up first, Bonner replied, “I don’t know where the pressure come from because we haven’t proved anything yet,” she said, smiling. “I think people just you know…media kind of run with it honestly and kind of create the pressure. I don’t feel like we’re the hunted. We are the huntee-kind of mentality.

“Because yeah, roster can look really good on paper, but it’s going to be the work that we put in and we know that, so I don’t really think that this team have pressure. We’re just tryna figure out how we can put it all together to be successful just like every other team in this league. But maybe, Caitlin have something different.” 

She’s not wrong, though. Last year’s Fever squad did make it to the playoffs for the first time since 2016, but that wasn’t the end goal. To make them a championship contender, only five players from that squad are returning. To add to their ammunition is Bonner, Brianna Turner, Sophie Cunningham, and Natasha Howard. Then there’s Sydney Colson bringing in the additional playoff experience having been with the Las Vegas Aces over her last few years. Indiana needed defense, and all these new additions scream defensive plays. On paper, this team does look scary. Depth, experience, firepower…it’s all there. But circling back… the pressure?

Now ever since Caitlin was projected as the first overall pick last year, the Fever fans celebrated her. But they also brought in the need to win. So when Bonner dropped that “no pressure” line, the internet had thoughts.

Championship or bust? Fever fans say Caitlin Clark’s teammate’s comments mean nothing

Fever fans are not here for any “don’t get your hopes too high” talk, especially not after everything the team’s been saying since training camp started. One fan came straight for it, saying, “Mind you, prior to this everyone on that roster including their star said championship is the goal…” Remember when Caitlin Clark was asked what would make Indiana’s season a success? She didn’t blink and just hit back with, “A championship.” She said it in her introductory call last year, then during the season, and every time she was asked the question. So now when Bonner tries to soften the pressure or downplay expectations, fans are like…that ship has sailed.

Another chimed in, “There’s pressure, championship, or bust. It’s too late to backpedal now.” Clark didn’t just bring elite shooting or court vision to Indy—she brought an army. This fanbase is wildly committed, social media’s already deep in the “Fever winning it all” agenda, and from Day 1, Stephanie White has been crystal clear about their mission: title contention. Maybe, Clark’s manifestations will work and the team will make a deep playoff run this season. So when fans hear talk that sounds like pulling back, they’re not buying it.

And then came the numbers game. “She’s deflecting they’re legit too 2/3 favorites to win it all second highest projected win total and they have 5 all stars in they’re starting five it’s hella pressure on on them as a team cause if they lose all them besides CC getting blamed 🤣,” one fan dropped.

Aliyah Boston, Caitlin Clark, DeWanna Bonner, Kelsey Mitchell, Natasha Howard—yes, five All-Stars in the starting lineup. Two of them, Bonner and Howard, have championship rings already. Add to that the fact that they’ve got the second-highest projected win total and the most nationally televised games this season. The league, the media, the fans—they’ve already marked Indiana as the team to watch. So if they fall short, it’ll be a full-blown team roast.

“Lolllll she said imma hold ur hand… don’t get ur hopes up on us,” another laughed. But we know that a stacked lineup doesn’t always click on court. Indiana’s chemistry off the court is golden—they love each other, no doubt—but after preseason wins, Coach White didn’t sugarcoat it. Missed defensive rotations, poor rebounding, spacing disasters… “Sometimes we were on top of one another,” she admitted.

So, maybe Bonner was just keeping it real. Another fan brought up a big ol’ warning sign from just last season. “If they don’t win a championship, then their season is a bust,” they said, and that immediately reminded us of Dallas.

The 2024 Wings had everything going for them. Satou Sabally and Arike Ogunbowale were coming off a monster season; the core was intact, the hype was very real, but injuries hit like a wrecking ball. Sabally was out due to a shoulder surgery, Howard missed a chunk of games, and even Maddy Siegrist was sidelined mid-season. The result was a 9-31 record and a whole lotta what-ifs.

Well, Fever fans must be hoping that doesn’t happen to them. But we never know. Let’s see if Caitlin Clark’s Indiana can actually get the job done.