INDIANAPOLIS (WRTV) -- After a disappointing two game West Coast road trip, in which the Fever lost both of its games, they had a long team meeting on Monday.
Fever guard Sophie Cunningham said it started as a coaches-led meeting and shifted into being a players-led meeting.
"It was much needed though," Cunningham said. "After Portland, that's not it. We can't be playing like that. We're too good. We needed that meeting and like I said, everyone is refreshed and ready to get going."
Cunningham shared what was discussed in the meeting.
"What everyone is feeling," Cunningham said. "Where we need to be. What our identity is. Offensively where we're struggling. Defensively where is the breakdown. Literally, I think we were in there for an hour and a half, almost two hours, and we peeled back all the layers. I think everyone is on a good page right now and we're ready to work."
Fever head coach Stephanie White and guard Kelsey Mitchell both thought the meeting was productive.
"I think it's about being honest with yourself," Mitchell said. "I think our culture has been tested, to figure out if we actually truly intentional about who we say we want to be. Only time will tell."
Mitchell also said that she's happy that it's happening now, if there are frustrations, than it happening later.
"I think it's productive. I think any time you get the opportunity to have authentic, real conversation, it's good," White said. "This is collaborative stuff with us. Some of it's execution. Some of it's learning one another. Some of it's dealing with all the things that our team has to deal with."
White said the coaches led just in terms of asking questions.
"We want this to be a player-led team," White said. "We want them to be empowered to take ownership, be empowered to have hard conversations, be empowered to uplift one another, be empowered to give up self for team, to put the we over me."
Cunningham said the team is on the same page now, and people will notice that on Thursday in the Fever's next game against the Atlanta Dream. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
