The Indiana Fever didn’t just make news—they dropped a bombshell that reverberated across the entire WNBA. In a move that stunned fans and analysts alike, the Fever cut two highly touted rookies before the season had even begun.
Brie Hall, a two-time NCAA champion from South Carolina, and Ivon Egim, Gonzaga’s all-time leading scorer, were shown the door before they got a real chance to prove themselves on the hardwood. And if that wasn’t dramatic enough, out from the shadows came Sheryl Swoops—fired up and locked in on what she saw as a dangerous trend, not just in Indiana, but across the league.
Let’s start with the cold facts. Brie Hall barely touched the court in preseason—limited action against Brazil and no minutes in the opener versus Washington.
Then, she was gone. And just when fans were still processing that, the Fever announced that Ivon Egim, the heart-and-soul scorer from Gonzaga, was also being waived. Both rookies came into training camp with strong resumes and high expectations, and yet they didn’t survive the preseason culling.
Sheryl Swoopes slams the Fever for the huge mistake they made after Caitlin Clark’s first year in the team
The former WNBA star has demanded more recognition for Kelsey Mitchell.
Sheryl Swoopes slams Indiana Fever for overlooking star players.
Sheryl Swoopes is still not a fan of Caitlin Clark. The three-time WNBA MVP is one of the Indiana Fever star’s biggest critics and recently claimed the team is doing an injustice by ignoring the contribution of a player Swoopes considers key to the franchise’s recent success.
Caitlin Clark is part of a class that revolutionized the WNBA. Along with Angel Reese, Kamilla Cardoso, and Cameron Brink, Clark revitalized the league, generating unprecedented ratings and a new fan base that is more interested in women’s basketball than ever before.
Not only that, the University of Iowa product has been credited as the driving force that led the Fever to the postseason for the first time in 10 seasons. Her lethal three-point shooting and precise assists gave the team the push it needed to get back into contention.
Despite all this, Swoopes said that Indiana’s management is making a huge mistake by not properly recognizing the contribution of another star on the team, guard Kelsey Mitchell.
Indiana’s mistake according to Swoopes
In a recent conversation on her podcast “Level to This,”Swoopes said, “Personally, here’s where I think [the Fever] didn’t do a very good job, and that was with Kelsey Mitchell, who’s an unrestricted free agent.”
In the 2024 season, the Fever’s shooting guard averaged 19.2 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game. However, Swoopes noted that the player “had a hell of a season this season, and I don’t think that she got the credit that she deserved.”
In this regard, it is worth remembering that Indiana has already announced that one of its top priorities is to renew Mitchell’s contract for the 2025 season. Although Clark stole the spotlight, it seems evident that the team is aware that Mitchell is a vital cog in its machinery.
The changes in the Fever
Swoopes also commented on the dismissal of head coach Christie Sides and the arrival of Stephanie White to take the helm of the Fever. The former Houston Comets star disapproved of the way Indiana management handled the change.
With White now in charge and Clark having transitioned successfully from college to professional basketball, fans and media expect the Fever to improve its performance in 2024 and make a deep run in the 2025 playoffs.
