INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Fever are back at home for the 2026 season tonight as they take on the Dallas Wings in the Preseason.
This evening will also be the first time fans here will see Caitlin Clark since she got hurt last season.
Unfortunately, Aliyah Boston and Lexie Hull will not be playing for precautionary reasons , according to Head Coach Stephanie White.
This will be the first home game since the team lost in the semifinals in the 2025 playoffs. This is also the first time since July Clark will step back onto the court at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
During the Fever’s first preseason game against the New York Liberty this past weekend, Caitlin Clark played 17 minutes and had 7 points, 3 rebounds, and 4 assists.
This will also be the first season that the WNBA reached a tentative 7-year Collective Bargaining Agreement from 2026 through 2032. It now features a five-time pay increase for players, a $7 million cap, 20% revenue sharing, and average player salaries exceeding $583,000.
Tonight’s exhibition game will also be a preview of the season opener, as the Fever and Wings are set to meet on Saturday, May 9 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on the first day of the regular season.
We heard from head coach Stephanie White yesterday before their first game back at Gainbridge Fieldhouse this season.
“Well, I mean, every time you want to put yourself in position to win. That’s the nature of what you want to do. But at the same time, it’s also about playing different combinations, seeing who we like playing together, getting players reps on the floor, getting players experience, being able to see players. I mean, obviously, we have to have a roster cut down. It’s one of the hardest things that we have to do, so making sure that we can really evaluate players is really important. We’re not going to go overboard in order to win, but at the same time, from a competitive spirit standpoint, we want every possession that we’re out there to be elite,” Stephanie White, Head Coach of the Indiana Fever said.
The Wings also had the first overall pick for the second straight year and selected guard Azzi Fudd out of Connecticut. Fudd will be reunited with her former UConn teammate Paige Bueckers, the reigning Rookie of the Year.
Between Fudd, Bueckers, Caitlin Clark, and Aliyah Boston, the Wings and the Fever boast the last four number-one picks in the WNBA Draft.
