Insider predicts Caitlin Clark to lead Indiana Fever to WNBA playoffs success in second season

After a historic rookie season, Caitlin Clark has been predicted to lead the Indiana Fever to WNBA playoffs success in her sophomore year. This is according to ESPN insider Kevin Pelton, who believes that Clark has been given the support she needs to succeed in the 2025 season.

Pelton said that the Fever acquired All-Star veterans Natasha Howard and DeWanna Bonner in the offseason. As both players have won WNBA titles (Bonner - two; Howard - three), they bring a wealth of championship experience to the team.

Pelton also argued that with Bonner and Howard playing alongside Clark, the Fever could go on to win the playoffs next season. An excerpt from his article read:

"With Bonner and Howard, the Fever are now favorites to earn home-court advantage in the opening round and win a playoff series for the first time since reaching the 2015 WNBA Finals. Clark has always shined on the biggest stages and now has a team capable of getting her there as a pro."

Meanwhile, Pelton feels that Caitlin Clark's impressive first-season stats may be hard to replicate in her second year. According to him, the Indiana Fever will likely want to reduce the load on Clark, especially as DeWanna Bonner and Natasha Howard are both elite scorers.

In the last 20 games of Clark's rookie season, she averaged 22.3 points, 10.0 assists, and 5.7 rebounds per game. However, the team is now predicted to heavily rotate players next season, and based on that, usage rates on the roster are calculated to drop an average of 3%.

Caitlin Clark's sophomore WNBA season could be her best yet

Heading into her second season in the WNBA, Caitlin Clark is already the frontrunner in the MVP conversation. While her name was thrown into the MVP discussion last year, it was more of a long shot as a rookie.

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However, with the Indiana front office revamping the roster with strategic additions in the offseason, Clark's superstardom may fully kick off this season.

Although stars like Napheesa Collier and A'ja Wilson will be up against Clark, her talent, along with better support around her in 2025, would further strengthen her case. It would be interesting to see how her sophomore year eventually pans out.

About the author

Peter Okereke is a WNBA journalist for Sportskeeda. Since his first foray into online journalism in 2019, Peter has written hundreds of articles on Football and Basketball.
His most recent stint was at FirstSportz, where he wrote extensively on the NBA and the WNBA. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Mathematics and Computer Science from the University of Port Harcourt and leverages his analytical skills to enhance his creativity in sports journalism.

Coming from a predominantly football nation, Peter is a die-hard Chelsea fan but fell in love with basketball after watching Kobe Bryant and LeBron James create magical moments in the NBA. This fandom is reflected in his writing, allowing him to share engaging stories and connect with fans around the world with factual insights and relatable narratives. He holds a strong, often controversial opinion that the Los Angeles Lakers are the greatest team in the NBA and that LeBron James is the greatest of all time.
When he's not writing, Peter is binge-watching movies or traveling.

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Edited by Rajdeep Barman