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Wednesday, February 12, 2025

Indiana Fever make myriad of moves in free agency

NORAL PARHAM
NORAL PARHAM
Noral Parham is the multi-media & senior sports reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder, one of the oldest Black publications in the country. Parham has worked with various leagues to provide a diverse perspective in sports, including the Big Ten, Big East, IHSAA, IndyCar, MLB, NHRA, NFL, NBA, WNBA, WWE and the Olympics. Prior to joining the Recorder, Parham served as the community advocate of the MLK Center in Indianapolis and senior copywriter for an e-commerce and marketing firm in Denver.

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The Indiana Fever is one of the most active teams in WNBA free agency, making significant changes to bolster their roster ahead of the 2025 season. 

With key additions like DaWanna Bonner and Natasha Howard, Indiana is signaling its intent to build a competitive team around Aliyah Boston, Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell. 

However, the Fever also made some difficult roster decisions, parting ways with young talent. 

Hereā€™s a breakdown of the major transactions Indiana has made in the past week:   

NaLyssa Smith to Dallas 

In one of the most notable moves, the Fever traded forward NaLyssa Smith to the Dallas Wings. Smith, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2022 WNBA Draft, showed promise as a versatile scorer and rebounder and will now continue her career in Dallas. In return, Indiana received forward Jaelyn Brown from the Wings, adding depth to their rotation.   

Natasha Howard returns 

Indiana landed three-time WNBA champion Natasha Howard, who brings championship experience and defensive versatility. Howard, previously with the Wings, averaged 17.6 points and 6.7 rebounds per game in 2024. Her ability to defend multiple positions and stretch the floor complements Boston in the frontcourt. 

DaWanna Bonner to Indy   

In another major free agent acquisition, the Fever secured veteran DaWanna Bonner, a five-time WNBA All-Star. Bonner, formerly with the Connecticut Sun, has been one of the leagueā€™s most consistent scoring forwards. Her leadership and experience will be invaluable for Indiana as it continues to develop its young core.   

Sophie Cunningham joins the Fever 

Indiana also brought in Sophie Cunningham, known for her energy and three-point shooting. Cunningham, who played for the Phoenix Mercury, adds much-needed perimeter spacing to an offense expected to run through Clark and Boston.   

Grace Berger waived 

To make room for their new acquisitions, the Fever waived Grace Berger, their first-round pick in the 2023 WNBA Draft. The former Indiana Hoosiers standout saw limited minutes in her rookie season. With Indianaā€™s roster shake-up, the team decided to move in a different direction.Ā 


Contact Multi-Media & Senior Sports Reporter Noral Parham III at 317-762-7846. Follow him on TikTok @3Noral.Ā For more Indiana Fever news, click here.

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