Indiana’s 2025 season was a mix of both overachieving and underachieving at the same time. On one hand, they never quite lived up to the sky-high expectations that surrounded them at the start of the year. On the other hand, they pushed far beyond what anyone thought possible, even though adversity like losing Caitlin Clark for the season struck. They may have fared through it all well, but as the new season approaches, head coach Stephanie White finds herself facing beyond the usual set of problems.

According to Ben Pickman of The Athletic, some of Stephanie White’s coaching staff might get poached this offseason. Speaking on The No Offseason: The Athletic Women’s Basketball Show podcast, he said:

“The other thing that I think we’ll have to wait and see on as it relates to Indiana going forward is what does the rest of their coaching staff look like? I think we know that Steph White, or we certainly expect that Steph White, will be back this next season after a masterful job this past year guiding Indiana to the league semifinals, to the cusp of the finals. But there certainly is a possibility that as the next couple of weeks progress, the next couple of months progress, and these teams make hires — like Bri January, Austin Kelly — those are two names that we often hear as it relates to the coaching carousel. That’s not to say that either of them are locks to get jobs, but that’s just another potential question that they might have to sort out going forward, in addition to all the roster questions.”

January was part of the Indiana Fever team that won the WNBA championship, a squad that also featured Stephanie White as an assistant at the time. She played 14 seasons in the league, finishing her career with the Storm in 2022. Over the past three years, she has worked as a WNBA assistant and also served on the coaching staff of the Detroit Pistons’ NBA G League affiliate. With her experience and familiarity with Seattle, she could become the first head coach hired by Storm GM Talisa Rhea. Then there is Austin Kelly.

She stepped in as head coach this season in Stephanie White’s absence and led the Fever to a win over the Chicago Sky without their star guard. His name continues to surface in coaching rumors as well. If both Kelly and January end up landing head coaching positions (similar to what Becky Hammon experienced with Tyler Marsh and Natalie Nakase a season ago), it will be fascinating to see how the Fever manage to rebuild their coaching staff around White.

Several teams are still searching for head coaches, including the Dallas Wings, New York Liberty, Seattle Storm, and Toronto Temp, after the Portland Fire announced the hiring of Alex Sarama. One name who could soon join that list is Fever assistant coach Briann January, who has reportedly been on the Seattle Storm’s shortlist following their decision to part ways with Noelle Quinn.

Then comes the free agency puzzle.

Outside of Clark, Aliyah Boston, and Makayla Timpson, nearly the entire roster is set to hit the market. That means White and the Fever front office have some serious decisions to make about who stays and who goes. And, of course, one of their biggest priorities will be finding a reliable backup guard, someone who can take some pressure off Clark and ensure she doesn’t get run into the ground again.

Kelsey Mitchell, who played through the postseason with remarkable consistency, is again entering unrestricted free agency. Fever general manager Amber Cox has made it clear that retaining her remains the top priority, calling it a “broken-record situation” after Mitchell’s importance to the team’s core. Mitchell, too, expressed how much Indiana means to her, referring to it as her “second family.” If she re-signs, the Fever will have one of the league’s strongest young trios in Mitchell, Clark, and Boston, a foundation any free agent would want to join.

As for others, Lexie Hull (restricted) and Sophie Cunningham have both shown interest in returning, though Indiana’s front office must weigh the value of continuity against potential upgrades. The team’s strong culture and fanbase, plus a $78 million training facility scheduled to open ahead of the 2027 season, give them a legitimate edge as a destination.

Amid it all, no one knows when the new CBA agreement will be reached. With the October 31st deadline looming and little to no progress made, the threat of a lockout grows stronger by the day. That would delay the start of the season, a nightmare scenario not just for Coach White but for everyone in the league. Until the CBA is finalized, every front office decision, from contract structures to salary caps, remains in limbo. League insiders expect free agency to be unlike anything before, as nearly every veteran player becomes available once the new agreement takes shape.

And yet, all the offseason shuffle kept aside, Clark is simply doing what she loves most and enjoying every moment of it!

Caitlin Clark Back on the Golf Course

This fall, Clark will once again trade her basketball for a golf club, skipping Unrivaled for the second straight season. The Indiana Fever star is set to compete in the LPGA Tour’s Annika Pro-Am next month, the season’s final full-field regular-season event, featuring a $3.25 million purse.

“I had an amazing time at The Annika last November and participating in the Pro-Am alongside Nelly Korda and Annika Sorenstam, two of the best in the game,” Clark said in a statement. “I’m honored to be an ambassador for a company in Gainbridge that is so committed to elevating women’s sports. I can’t wait to return to Tampa in November to play in the Pro-Am with the best women golfers in the world.”

This past season was unkind to Clark, both physically and statistically. She managed to play just 13 games in her sophomore year, sidelined by a series of quadriceps and groin injuries. This offseason will be crucial–not just for the Fever, but for Clark herself–as she works to fully rehab and return to the form that made her so dominant in her rookie year.