The Indiana Fever are all set for the new W season! Caitlin Clark and the squad wrapped up their preseason games without a single loss and are riding a big wave of confidence. Why wouldn’t they? But beyond the wins, one key takeaway from the preseason was the Fever’s impressive depth. While veterans like Sophie Cunningham and Sydney Colson showed exactly why they’re valuable off the bench, it was Lexie Hull–last season’s Sixth Player of the Year contender–who truly shined against the Dream. Her performance caught everyone’s attention, including head coach White, who couldn’t stop praising her!

Hull’s role has changed a lot in just a few years. She started on the bench as a rookie in 2022, playing around 12 minutes a game. Then in 2023, she became a full-time starter! Her minutes jumped to 20.2, and she chipped in 4.6 points per game. But in 2024, things shifted again. She went back to the bench early in the season. After the Olympic break, though, she turned up the heat and clawed her way back into the starting five.

Now, with veterans like DeWanna Bonner, Natasha Howard, and Sophie Cunningham joining the Fever, Hull might return to a bench role. Still, she’s not rattled. In Unrivaled, she was a force–helping her team win it all. She averaged close to 5.5 points and 2.5 rebounds for the champions Rose BC. That confidence? It’s still there. Hull’s not backing down.

Coach Stephanie White had high praise for the Fever guard after the game. She said, “Lexi’s playing with such a high level of confidence. You know, you saw that the second half of last season—her starting to grow into that. I think you saw it a lot in Unrivaled as well. It unlocked, I think, a little bit of creativity. You know, I think sometimes when you’re a young player in this league, when you accept your role as Lexi does, you can’t allow it to put you in a box, right? Like, your role can change throughout the course of a season; your role can change throughout the course of a career. So you want to be able to stretch and expand, and I think Lexi’s done a really good job.”

Lexie Hull made the most of her 23 minutes off the bench in Indiana’s preseason clash with Atlanta on Saturday, including playing the entire fourth quarter alongside the Fever’s second unit. Sharing the floor with Sydney Colson, Brianna Turner, Jaelyn Brown, and Makayla Timpson, Hull took over the final stretch of the game. She dropped 11 of her 14 total points in that fourth quarter alone, leading the team in scoring. Hull finished the night shooting 6-of-12 from the field while also grabbing five rebounds and dishing out four assists, helping seal the win for the Fever over the Dream. Simply incredible!

The Fever’s 3-0 preseason run, including wins over Brazil, Washington, and Atlanta, showcased their depth. Lexie Hull’s standout performance against the Dream—scoring 14 points with 11 in the fourth quarter—demonstrated her potential as a key contributor in Coach White’s rotation, whether starting or coming off the bench.

While Lexie has done a great job locking in her spot with strong performances, not everyone was as lucky. Some players were naturally waived as the team worked to meet the final roster limits. Let’s take a look at who the Fever have released ahead of the season.

Indiana Fever let go of three players

With the 19th, 20th, and 33rd picks in this year’s draft, the Indiana Fever brought in Makayla Timpson, Bree Hall, and Yvonne Ejim. But with the team’s roster already packed with talent, making the final cut was always going to be tough for the newcomers. And just as expected, some cuts followed after the first week of training camp. Bree Hall, Jillian Alleyne, and Yvonne Ejim have all been waived.

“It’s always hard, I mean this is the worst part of the job” Coach Stephanie White said. “You know I think we always wish there were more roster spots so that you know we can have some of those development positions, but but we also know it’s part of it and it sucks.”

The Fever’s current roster stands at 12 players, but reports suggest they may release one more to bring it down to 11 for salary cap reasons. With high-profile additions like Bonner and Howard elevating the Fever’s payroll, Hull’s cost-effective production—she’s on the final year of her rookie deal at $88,261—makes her a vital asset, especially if injuries or foul trouble arise.

Making it into this Fever squad might be one of the hardest tasks for any rookie–and for good reason. Indiana has built a championship-contending roster, and they’re all in for the title chase. Will they actually pull it off? Only time will tell!