The 2023 Indiana Fever season was the franchise's 24th season in the Women's National Basketball Association, and their first season under new head coach Christie Sides.
The Fever named Sides their new head coach on November 4, 2022. She previously spent two seasons in Indiana as an assistant coach from 2018 to 2019.[1]
The Fever won the 2023 WNBA Draft Lottery and were awarded the first overall pick for the first time in franchise history, where the team selected Aliyah Boston.[2]
The Fever started the season slowly going 1–3 in May, with their one win coming against Atlanta. The Fever showed improvement in June, finishing the season 4–7. However, they won four of six games in the middle of the month and took Chicago to overtime. Their improvement did not persist into July however, as the team went 1–9, including an eight game losing streak that spanned June and July. The team turned their fortunes around in August and finished 5–5. The team did lose five of six games in the middle of the month, but finished the month on a three game winning streak. The Fever finished September 2–3, with both wins coming against playoff teams. Their .325 winning percentage was the best since 2019 and their thirteen wins were the most since 2019.
See also: 2023 WNBA draft.
Round | Pick | Player | Nationality | School/Team/Country |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | Aliyah Boston | South Carolina | |
1 | 7 | Grace Berger | Indiana | |
2 | 13 | Taylor Mikesell | Ohio State | |
2 | 17 | LaDazhia Williams | LSU | |
3 | 25 | South Carolina | ||
Date | Transaction | |
---|---|---|
November 4, 2022 | Hired Christie Sides as Head Coach[3] | |
January 4, 2023 | Waived Florencia Chagas | |
January 11, 2023 | Extended Qualifying Offers to Emma Cannon, Victoria Vivians, Khayla Pointer, Rennia Davis, and Temi Fagbenle[4] | |
January 13, 2023 | Traded Danielle Robinson to the Atlanta Dream in exchange for Kristy Wallace[5] | |
January 20, 2023 | Extended General Manager Contract for Lin Dunn and removed her Interim Tag. Promoted Hillary Spears to Assistant GM.[6] | |
February 1, 2023 | Signed Erica Wheeler to a 2-Year Deal[7] | |
February 2, 2023 | Signed Maya Caldwell to a 1-Year Deal[8] | |
Signed Chelsey Perry, Rennia Davis, and Khayla Pointer to Training Camp Contracts[9] | ||
February 5, 2023 | Signed Victoria Vivians[10] | |
February 8, 2023 | Signed Emma Cannon to a 1-Year Deal[11] | |
February 15, 2023 | Signed Bernadett Határ to a Training Camp Contract | |
March 29, 2023 | Hired Paul Miller as Assistant Coach[12] | |
April 6, 2023 | Waived Khayla Pointer[13] | |
April 14, 2023 | Signed Grace Berger, Taylor Mikesell, LaDazhia Williams, and Victaria Saxton to Rookie Scale Contracts | |
April 17, 2023 | Signed Aliyah Boston to a Rookie Scale Contract | |
April 23, 2023 | Waived Chelsey Perry[14] | |
April 26, 2023 | Waived Emily Engstler[15] | |
May 3, 2023 | Waived Rennia Davis[16] | |
May 9, 2023 | Waived LaDazhia Williams[17] | |
May 16, 2023 | Waived Destanni Henderson[18] | |
May 17, 2023 | Waived Taylor Mikesell[19] | |
May 18, 2023 | Temporarily suspend the contract of Bernadett Határ due to Overseas Commitments[20] | |
June 8, 2023 | Waived Bernadett Határ[21] | |
July 4, 2023 | Traded Queen Egbo to the Washington Mystics in exchange for Amanda Zahui B[22] |
Personnel | Signed | Former Team | |
---|---|---|---|
Kristy Wallace | Trade | Atlanta Dream | |
Erica Wheeler | Free Agency | Atlanta Dream | |
Maya Caldwell | Free Agency | Atlanta Dream | |
Grace Berger | Draft Pick | 2023 Draft Pick | |
Aliyah Boston | Draft Pick | 2023 Draft Pick | |
Victaria Saxton | Draft Pick | 2023 Draft Pick | |
Amanda Zahui B | Trade | Washington Mystics |
Personnel | Reason | New Team | |
---|---|---|---|
Danielle Robinson | Trade | Atlanta Dream | |
Tiffany Mitchell | Free Agency | Minnesota Lynx | |
Rennia Davis | Waived | - | |
Khayla Pointer | Waived | - | |
Emily Engstler | Waived | Minnesota Lynx | |
Destanni Henderson | Waived | Los Angeles Sparks | |
Queen Egbo | Trade | Washington Mystics |
Pos. | Starter | Bench | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
PG | Erica Wheeler | Kristy Wallace Grace Berger | ||
SG | Kelsey Mitchell | Maya Caldwell | ||
SF | Lexie Hull | Victoria Vivians | ||
PF | NaLyssa Smith | Emma Cannon Victaria Saxton | ||
C | Aliyah Boston | Amanda Zahui B. |
|- style="background:#fcc;"| 1| May 7| @ Chicago| L 56–81| Kelsey Mitchell (9)| NaLyssa Smith (5)| Destanni Henderson (3)| Wintrust Arena
2,024| 0–1|- style="background:#bbffbb;"| 2| May 13| Dallas| W 90–83| Kelsey Mitchell (29)| Queen Egbo (9)| Erica Wheeler (9)| Gainbridge Fieldhouse
2,084| 1–1
|- style="background:#fcc;"| 1| May 19| Connecticut| L 61–70| Kelsey Mitchell (20)| Boston
Smith (9)| Erica Wheeler (5)| Gainbridge Fieldhouse
7,356| 0–1|- style="background:#fcc;"| 2| May 21| @ New York| L 73–90| NaLyssa Smith (16)| NaLyssa Smith (12)| Kelsey Mitchell (3)| Barclays Center
8,575| 0–2|- style="background:#bbffbb;"| 3| May 28| @ Atlanta| W 90–87| NaLyssa Smith (23)| NaLyssa Smith (12)| Erica Wheeler (4)| Gateway Center Arena
3,209| 1–2|- style="background:#fcc;"| 4| May 30| @ Connecticut| L 78–81| Aliyah Boston (20)| NaLyssa Smith (15)| Erica Wheeler (7)| Mohegan Sun Arena
5,317| 1–3|- style="background:#fcc;"| 5| June 4| Las Vegas| L 80–84| Kelsey Mitchell (22)| Queen Egbo (10)| Berger
Vivians (4)| Gainbridge Fieldhouse
6,131| 1–4|- style="background:#fcc;"| 6| June 6| @ Chicago| L 103–108 (OT)| Aliyah Boston (25)| Aliyah Boston (11)| Erica Wheeler (12)| Wintrust Arena
5,201| 1–5|- style="background:#bbffbb;"| 7| June 9| @ Minnesota| W 71–69| Kelsey Mitchell (22)| NaLyssa Smith (12)| Grace Berger (4)| Target Center
8,510| 2–5|- style="background:#fcc;"| 8| June 11| Phoenix| L 82–85| NaLyssa Smith (29)| NaLyssa Smith (12)| Erica Wheeler (8)| Gainbridge Fieldhouse
5,013| 2–6|- style="background:#bbffbb;"| 9| June 13| Washington| W 87–66| Aliyah Boston (23)| Aliyah Boston (14)| Aliyah Boston (6)| Gainbridge Fieldhouse
3,005| 3–6|- style="background:#bbffbb;"| 10| June 15| @ Chicago| W 92–90| Aliyah Boston (19)| Boston
Smith (8)| Kelsey Mitchell (5)| Wintrust Arena
6,323| 4–6|- style="background:#fcc;"| 11| June 18| Atlanta| L 94–100| Aliyah Boston (25)| NaLyssa Smith (7)| Erica Wheeler (8)| Gainbridge Fieldhouse
4,024| 4–7|- style="background:#bbffbb;"| 12| June 22| @ Seattle| W 80–68| Kelsey Mitchell (25)| NaLyssa Smith (14)| Boston
Wallace
Wheeler (5)| Climate Pledge Arena
7,734| 5–7|- style="background:#fcc;"| 13| June 24| @ Las Vegas| L 88–101| NaLyssa Smith (26)| NaLyssa Smith (11)| Wallace
Wheeler (6)| Michelob Ultra Arena
8,310| 5–8|- style="background:#fcc;"| 14| June 26| @ Las Vegas| L 80–88| Boston
Wheeler (20)| Boston
Smith (14)| Boston
Wheeler (3)| Michelob Ultra Arena
| 5–9|- style="background:#fcc;"| 15| June 29| @ Phoenix| L 63–85| Kelsey Mitchell (15)| Boston
Smith (9)| Boston
Mitchell
Wheeler (4)| Footprint Center
9,047| 5–10|- style="background:#fcc;"| 16| July 2| Chicago| L 87–89| NaLyssa Smith (27)| NaLyssa Smith (8)| Kelsey Mitchell (8)| Gainbridge Fieldhouse
4,004| 5–11|- style="background:#fcc;"| 17| July 5| @ Minnesota| L 83–90| Aliyah Boston (22)| NaLyssa Smith (11)| Erica Wheeler (7)| Target Center
7,624| 5–12|- style="background:#fcc;"| 18| July 7| @ Washington| L 88–96| Lexie Hull (20)| Boston
Smith (7)| Erica Wheeler (7)| Entertainment and Sports Arena
4,200| 5–13|- style="background:#fcc;"| 19| July 9| Dallas| L 76–77| Aliyah Boston (18)| Aliyah Boston (8)| Kelsey Mitchell (4)| Gainbridge Fieldhouse
3,612| 5–14|- style="background:#fcc;"| 20| July 12| New York| L 87–95 (OT)| Aliyah Boston (23)| Boston
Vivians (9)| Erica Wheeler (5)| Gainbridge Fieldhouse
6,123| 5–15|- style="background:#bbffbb;"| 21| July 19| Washington| W 82–76| Kelsey Mitchell (18)| Aliyah Boston (8)| Kelsey Mitchell (5)| Gainbridge Fieldhouse
14,406| 6–15|- style="background:#fcc;"| 22| July 23| @ New York| L 83–101| Victoria Vivians (16)| Caldwell
Vivians (5)| Grace Berger (5)| Barclays Center
7,371| 6–16|- style="background:#fcc;"| 23| July 25| @ Los Angeles| L 78–79| Kelsey Mitchell (19)| Vivians
Zahui B. (6)| Erica Wheeler (8)| Crypto.com Arena
5,565| 6–17|- style="background:#fcc;"| 24| July 27| @ Los Angeles| L 68–81| Erica Wheeler (17)| Erica Wheeler (8)| Erica Wheeler (7)| Crypto.com Arena
11,970| 6–18|- style="background:#fcc;"| 25| July 30| Seattle| L 62–85| Kelsey Mitchell (19)| Aliyah Boston (7)| Mitchell
Wheeler (5)| Gainbridge Fieldhouse
5,196| 6–19|- style="background:#bbffbb;"| 26| August 1| Phoenix| W 72–71| Emma Cannon (23)| Aliyah Boston (11)| Aliyah Boston (4)| Gainbridge Fieldhouse
3,018| 7–19|- style="background:#fcc;"| 27| August 4| Connecticut| L 72–88| Aliyah Boston (19)| Aliyah Boston (8)| Boston
Wheeler (4)| Gainbridge Fieldhouse
3,498| 7–20|- style="background:#fcc;"| 28| August 6| @ Atlanta| L 73–82| Aliyah Boston (25)| Aliyah Boston (10)| Erica Wheeler (5)| Gateway Center Arena
3,209| 7–21|- style="background:#fcc;"| 29| August 8| Los Angeles| L 80–87| Kelsey Mitchell (21)| Aliyah Boston (9)| Kristy Wallace (7)| Gainbridge Fieldhouse
3,006| 7–22|- style="background:#bbffbb;"| 30| August 10| Minnesota| W 91–73| Kelsey Mitchell (24)| Aliyah Boston (10)| Erica Wheeler (10)| Gainbridge Fieldhouse
2,551| 8–22|- style="background:#fcc;"| 31| August 13| New York| L 89–100| Kelsey Mitchell (22)| Boston
Smith (9)| Aliyah Boston (5)| Gainbridge Fieldhouse
5,019| 8–23|- style="background:#fcc;"| 32| August 18| Washington| L 79–83| Emma Cannon (17)| Aliyah Boston (10)| Kelsey Mitchell (7)| Gainbridge Fieldhouse
3,506| 8–24|- style="background:#bbffbb;"| 33| August 20| @ Phoenix| W 83–73| Kelsey Mitchell (28)| NaLyssa Smith (11)| Grace Berger (5)| Footprint Center
11,807| 9–24|- style="background:#bbffbb;"| 34| August 24| Seattle| W 90–86| Kelsey Mitchell (36)| NaLyssa Smith (11)| Kristy Wallace (5)| Gainbridge Fieldhouse
2,644| 10–24|- style="background:#bbffbb;"| 35| August 27| Atlanta| W 83–80| Kristy Wallace (20)| NaLyssa Smith (13)| Kelsey Mitchell (6)| Gainbridge Fieldhouse
4,034| 11–24|- style="background:#fcc;"| 36| September 1| Dallas| L 100–110| Aliyah Boston (18)| Boston
Smith (11)| Erica Wheeler (10)| Gainbridge Fieldhouse
3,137| 11–25|- style="background:#bbffbb;"| 37| September 3| @ Dallas| W 97–84 (OT)| Mitchell
Smith (30)| Aliyah Boston (11)| Erica Wheeler (11)| College Park Center
5,058| 12–25|- style="background:#fcc;"| 38| September 5| Chicago| L 69–96| NaLyssa Smith (16)| NaLyssa Smith (7)| Grace Berger (6)| Gainbridge Fieldhouse
2,450| 12–26|- style="background:#fcc;"| 39| September 8| @ Connecticut| L 59–76| Kelsey Mitchell (15)| Aliyah Boston (7)| Erica Wheeler (3)| Mohegan Sun Arena
5,064| 12–27|- style="background:#bbffbb;"| 40| September 10| Minnesota| W 87–72| Kelsey Mitchell (24)| Aliyah Boston (12)| Smith
Wheeler (3)| Gainbridge Fieldhouse
4,009| 13–27|-
Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Kelsey Mitchell | 40 | 40 | 33.7 | .441 | .398 | .824 | 1.6 | 3.1 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 18.2 | |
NaLyssa Smith | 31 | 28 | 28.5 | .477 | .284 | .677 | 9.2 | 1.4 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 15.5 | |
Aliyah Boston | 40 | 40 | 31.2 | .578 | .400 | .745 | 8.4 | 2.2 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 14.5 | |
Erica Wheeler | 40 | 40 | 26.8 | .398 | .309 | .878 | 3.0 | 5.0 | 1.1 | 0.1 | 9.9 | |
Kristy Wallace | 37 | 9 | 19.7 | .401 | .435 | .750 | 2.2 | 1.9 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 6.6 | |
Emma Cannon | 30 | 3 | 10.5 | .455 | .382 | .909 | 3.1 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 5.8 | |
Victoria Vivians | 38 | 14 | 17.7 | .380 | .287 | .767 | 3.1 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 5.2 | |
Lexie Hull | 30 | 25 | 20.6 | .372 | .217 | .773 | 2.7 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 4.6 | |
Grace Berger | 36 | 0 | 14.6 | .449 | .471 | .840 | 1.6 | 1.9 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 4.2 | |
Queen Egbo† | 16 | 0 | 8.9 | .400 | .000 | .647 | 4.0 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 2.9 | |
Maya Caldwell | 30 | 1 | 10.1 | .292 | .138 | .857 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 1.9 | |
Amanda Zahui B.≠ | 22 | 0 | 7.3 | .261 | .130 | .750 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 1.5 | |
Victaria Saxton | 15 | 0 | 3.6 | .333 | .500 | .857 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 1.3 |
Recipient | Award | Date awarded | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|
Aliyah Boston | Rookie of the Month - May | June 2 | [23] |
Eastern Conference Player of the Week | June 20 | [24] | |
WNBA All-Star Starter | June 25 | [25] | |
Rookie of the Month - June | July 5 | [26] | |
Rookie of the Month - August | September 6 | [27] | |
WNBA Rookie of the Year | October 2 | [28] | |
WNBA All-Rookie Team | |||
Kelsey Mitchell | WNBA All-Star | July 1 | [29] |
Eastern Conference Player of the Week | August 29 | [30] |