The Indiana Fever opened their training camp on Easter Sunday for the 2022 WNBA season.
The organization opened its doors to let the media come to check the various new additions to the Fever franchise in the 2022 season.
With new coaches, front office movement, and a multitude of draft picks, the energy is different and very hopeful for a turnaround for the Fever this season.
While it might be a slow process, the Fever won't be short on star power, as they drafted the likes of Destanni Henderson (2nd round), one of the stars of the South Carolina team that won the NCAA Women's Championship just a couple weeks ago.
They also drafted some absolute studs in the first and third round as well, and there was real optimism that there should be some type of turnaround after a dismal 2021 season.
Here are the SELive Hot 5 topics that will be interesting to watch in the 1st week of the Fever training camp:
(1) How will Rookies do? WNBA Record 7 Draft Selections Gear Up for Training Camp
The Fever launched their training camp and with it came a bevy of elite college players who excelled last year. Indiana is looking to provide a different energy and vibe that was last season. And with this draft, they have done just that.
Baylor star F NaLyssa Smtih was the 2nd pick of the draft, and was paired later with her frontcourt college mate Queen Egbo as the Baylor Lady Bears duo was drafted in 1st round.
Lexie Hull (Rd 1) and Destanni Henderson (Rd 2) shore up the backcourt and bring great energy and control to the team.
Emily Engstler, a grinder, do-it-all type of player who has revamped her body and elevated her game, should give the Fever flexibility, while two sleepers in the draft, Michaela Kelly and Ameshya Williams-Holiday, could be in the mix as well.
(2) Can Kelsey Mitchell take Fever to next level?
Mitchell had a breakout season last year in year 3, as the leading scorer for the Fever. This year she will have to not only score early and often, but will have to lead and get adjusted to a new era in Fever country.
She is the currently face of the franchise. Can she take herself to a MVP level along with raising the expectations of getting back to the WNBA Playoffs?
Coach Marianne Stanley, in her 2nd season as head coach, needs her to do that and thinks Mitchell can be the leader the Fever can depend on consistently every game night.
(3) Popular Faces; Lindsay Whalen sister, Indiana Legend to make the cut?
Erin Whalen, the little sister of Minnesota Golphers and WNBA legend Lindsay Whalen, finished her career at University of Dayton, and now sits in the Fever training camp.
Whlaen had a very good career in Flyer land with almost 12ppg, also helping the Flyers achieve tourney success in her tenure.
The younger sis of a WNBA legend, can she find her way on the roster?
Ali Patberg, who was a Player of the Year in Indiana High School and hooped for Notre Dame and Indiana, now finds herself on the roster.
Can the Hoosier hoops legend find a spot on the team?
(4) Star Power in Draft; Who were the Key Coups?
The Indiana Fever definitely found some star hoopers in the draft in snapping up Hull, Smith, Engstler, and Egbo.
But watch out for Destanni Henderson and Patberg. Henderson put on her best performance in the Championship game, and has all the makings of a starting PG in the league, while local legend Patberg starred at Indiana over the final course of her career.
Henderson has a lot of juice as well, and looks the part of a futute star in the WNBA.
Patberg is a bulldog who will fight for minutes and a spot this season as well. And with Whalens little sis in the mix, the Fever should have some cameras rolling as well to watch the development of the popular hoopers.
(5) New Coaches, Management Look to Connect with New Team
With new additions in the front office (Lin Dunn, Interim General Manager), coaching staff (Re-aquiring Carlos Knox), and team (7 rookies drafted) this organization has a different energy going into the season.
Adding Knox will give Hall of Fame Coach Marianne Stanley some much needed experience with her staff in her 2nd season as head coach.
Knox has worked with the likes of Hall of Famer Tamika Catchings, Future Hall of Famer Skylar Diggins, and a host other elite ballers in the WNBA over the course of his coaching career.
A great Xs and Os guy, who can motivate, Knox was initially with the Cincinnati Bearcats Womens Team after getting a call from Fever brass to come back to Indy for his second stint. He gives the organization a valuable presence and is a great liason within the players, coaches, and management.
Here's the WNBA Training Camp roster of the Indiana Fever:
| Lindsay Allen | G | 3/20/95 | Notre Dame/USA | 4 | ||
| Alaina Coates* | C | 4/7/95 | South Carolina/USA | 3 | ||
| Queen Egbo | F/C | 6/29/00 | Baylor/USA | R | ||
| Emily Engstler | F | 5/1/00 | Louisville/USA | R | ||
| Haley Gorecki* | G | 11/13/96 | Duke/USA | 1 | ||
| Bria Hartley* | G | 9/30/92 | Connecticut/USA | 8 | ||
| Bernadett Határ* | C | 8/24/94 | Hungary | 1 | ||
| Destanni Henderson | G | 2/2/99 | South Carolina/USA | R | ||
| Lexie Hull | G | 9/13/99 | Stanford/USA | R | ||
| Jazmine Jones* | G | 10/15/96 | Louisville/USA | 2 | ||
| Micaela Kelly | G | 7/2/98 | Central Michigan/USA | R | ||
| Kelsey Mitchell | G | 11/12/95 | Ohio State/USA | 4 | ||
| Tiffany Mitchell | G | 9/23/94 | South Carolina/USA | 6 | ||
| Jaime Nared | G/F | 9/14/95 | Tennessee/USA | 2 | ||
| Ali Patberg | G | 9/11/96 | Indiana/USA | R | ||
| Chelsey Perry# | F | 6/7/99 | Tennessee-Martin/USA | 1 | ||
| Danielle Robinson* | G | 5/10/89 | Oklahoma/USA | 10 | ||
| Alanna Smith | F | 9/10/96 | Stanford/Australia | 3 | ||
| NaLyssa Smith | F | 8/8/00 | Baylor/USA | R | ||
| Victoria Vivians* | G | 11/17/94 | Mississippi State/USA | 3 | ||
| Erin Whalen | G/F | 11/14/97 | Dayton / USA R | |||
| Ameshya. Williams- Holliday. Follow Us @SELive365 @FoxSports | |
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