Losing your best player for a couple of games is hard enough on a team, but the Indiana Fever have played without Caitlin Clark for a dozen fixtures this season! Every time CC has pulled her quad or groin, it has posed an interesting challenge for the front office. We’ve seen the team veterans step up and hold the fort down in the interim, while Amber Cox and Kelly Krauskopf have been on the active lookout for more talent to bring in.

This time around, they’ve decided on Chloe Bibby. The six-foot-tall forward balled out against Indiana earlier this season and was a huge factor in Australia winning the FIBA Asia Cup a week ago in China. Funnily enough, that’s also where Bibby got the call to join the Indiana Fever. It was a whirlwind of a week for the Australian star, but now she’s with the Fever, and she’s taking it “one step at a time!”

Nevertheless, it was a long commute for Bibby to reach Indianapolis from China. “I didn’t really get to go back to Australia so just from China I said I already have some stuff packed. So then, [I] just come over here back to America! So yeah, it was good. It all happened pretty fast, but I’m still super grateful for the opportunity.” The newest addition to the Indiana Fever said in a pre-game media availability.

Considering that Bibby has come in on a seven-day contract, the odds are stacked against her. There’s virtually no time to get used to the plays and the team, but that isn’t bothering the young star. “I’m getting to know the girls, and [developing] chemistry. It takes time, but we’re trying to develop that quickly.” It takes a lot of dedication and love for the sport to put in so much effort during such a stressful and happening week.

And Chloe Bibby’s actions are leading us to believe that maybe, just maybe, Indiana might’ve found another long-term contributor like Aari McDonald, but it will depend on how she performs. But how did Indiana Fever HC Stephanie White react to the addition of the six-foot-tall power forward? Let’s find out!

Stephanie White optimistic about latest signing amidst Caitlin Clark’s injury drama

This season has been filled with ups and downs for the Indiana Fever. On one hand, their superstar hasn’t been fully fit and available to play games, which creates a huge offensive vacuum. However, Caitlin Clark‘s absence has also led to the discovery of young and exciting talent like Aari McDonald. Not to mention, it has proved that Stephanie White’s team is capable even without the MVP candidate that we all know and love! To add some offensive depth, Cox and Krauskopf have brought in Chloe Bibby.

The Australian forward was a standout performer for the Golden State Valkyries against Indiana, and it seems like head coach Stephanie White is pretty happy with the pickup! “I mean, her ability to stretch the floor, to be a shot maker, to create some space on the interior for [Boston]. Her size, certainly as well, are all things that we liked,” She said, praising Bibby’s versatility as per a video by Tony East. “Now we get an opportunity to see. She came in, she studied the offense, and she has been really good.”

But it’s not always easy to bring in new talent. We saw the Indiana Fever flourish on both ends with the addition of McDonald, but that was a one-off scenario in which the fit was perfect. It’s just as likely to see players struggle to understand the playstyle and the tempo at which Indiana plays.

Stephanie White talked about her struggles of integrating new pieces into the offense mid-season, while admitting that it might be different in Bibby’s case. “Yeah, it’s a challenge always, any time you’re integrating. But I think at the position that she’ll play for us, really being somebody that’s middle of the floor, stretching the floor, there’s not a lot of nuance to how we’ll use her.” White said, hinting at a shortened playbook for the next week or so.

It will be interesting to see how Chloe Bibby fits in Indiana. There’s plenty of opportunity for growth in Stephanie White’s team right now, and there are a lot of experienced vets to learn from. Is Bibby the missing piece in the Fever’s offense? Only time will tell!