Caitlin Clark elevated Lexie Hull. After being drafted No. 6 in 2022, Hull has earned a reputation as an effective two-way rotational piece on the Indiana Fever roster. But her offensive output was still in doubt. She averaged below five points a game in each of her first two seasons. In her second year, she played 20.6 minutes per game but managed only 4.6 points. However, everything changed in 2024, and Lexie Hull explained how she made her presence felt and what pushed her to do so. 

“There were times when I started that it was like, if I shoot, it needs to go in, because otherwise I might get benched or I might get cut,” Hull said in a recent interview with Glamour. 

“There were real nerves there in the first couple of years where I’m playing on a losing team, we’re not doing well, we are not making playoffs. Every little thing matters.” The Fever star further explained how Caitlin Clark’s arrival changed everyone’s mindset and gave her confidence.

“I know I’m going to get open shots,” Hull said, emphasizing that she was able to let go of the fear that was holding her back by the 2024 All-Star break. “I don’t need to be worried about whether they go in or they don’t, because I’ve put in the work to set myself up for this, and I’ll live with the outcome.”

In her college days, Hull had her sister Lacie to support her, and she was in a top program like Stanford. The situation in the WNBA was the exact opposite. The Fever hadn’t made the playoffs since 2016 and were struggling to get results. Caitlin Clark’s arrival, however, replicated the atmosphere Hull had at Stanford. Suddenly, the Indy side became the most popular in the league. They had sold-out crowds and more supporters, coupled with increased revenue. 

Caitlin Clark formed a special bond with Lexie Hull very quickly. So much so, the two vacationed together in Mexico during the Olympic break last year with their significant others. And we have not even mentioned the service Clark provided Hull on the court. Hull scored 20 field goals (most in her tally) from Clark’s assists last year and 12 this year. 

For more context, the WNBA star scored 12 from Erica Wheeler’s passes in 2022 and 2023 combined, which was the most. Her three-point percentage from 2024 still stands as a career best at 47.1%. Without Clark’s passes, that dropped to 36.7% last season, in line with her college three-point percentage of 37.4%.

Looking forward to 2026, Lexie Hull is a restricted free agent for the first time in her career, and the CBA situation adds more uncertainty.

“I’m a restricted free agent, so I think that changes things a little bit,” Hull said. “I’ve loved my years here in Indiana. Obviously, with a lot of uncertainty, you don’t know what’s to come, but I’ve built a life here. I love this franchise. I love the people, the fans, so we’ll see what comes.”

The Indiana Fever holds the cards to retain Hull. They will just need to match whatever offer she gets from the other teams. Considering her massive contributions on and off the box score in 2025, the Fever will most likely try to retain Hull. When the CBA fog clears, even Hull would likely want to stay with Clark, as it would do wonders for her development. There’s another boost the team has this offseason.

Caitlin Clark Gives Indiana Fever a Unique Front Office Advantage

The upcoming free agency is going to be chaos. Approximately 80% of the league will be signing with a new or the same team. It’s heading that way because of the contentious CBA situation. Players expect better salaries in their new contracts. As a result, the Fever have only three stars under contract right now: Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston, and Mikayla Timpson. They have the opportunity to build a title-contending team from scratch around Clark by using her as a bargaining chip.

The 2024 ROTY’s comeback season from injury gives players an extra incentive to join. They know it’s going to be a win-win scenario. Like in the case of Hull, there are very few players who can maximize their teams. Clark did it for four years at Iowa and in her rookie season in Indiana. Almost everyone improved after she came onto the Indy roster. Kelsey Mitchell went from 18.2 points per game to 19.2. She also went from 46.5% of unassisted field goals to just 25.9%. 

While Kelsey Mitchell can make her shot, she no longer has to. Aliyah Boston made strides as a forward with Caitlin Clark’s addition as the Fever reached the playoffs for the first time since 2016. Her presence just makes things easier on the court. Players would be licking their lips to get that kind of service.

Off the court, being associated with Caitlin Clark gives you more visibility, better brand deals, and all in all, more money. The new players will have the backing of arguably the biggest WNBA fanbase. Their game will reach more eyes, as Indiana Fever games are generally watched more across platforms. 

This could be the sole reason some would choose the Indiana Fever as their preferred team. We are not even considering the effect of their 2025 playoff run or the Fever culture. Safe to say, the front office’s job has been made easy by the team’s on-court performance and Caitlin Clark.