Ranking the Top 5 Players in Indiana Fever History
Clark is on the rise—but these legends set the foundation
While Caitlin Clark is widely expected to become one of the greatest players to ever suit up for the Indiana Fever, her place among the franchise’s elite hasn’t been solidified just yet. If her early career momentum holds, she may very well become the second-best player in team history—behind only the legendary Tamika Catchings. But until then, we’re looking back at the top five players who’ve already left a lasting mark on the Fever organization.
5. Briann January
Briann January’s time in the top five might be limited, especially with rising stars like Clark and Aliyah Boston already making noise. Still, January deserves recognition as one of the best perimeter defenders of her era.
Over nine seasons with Indiana, January earned seven WNBA All-Defensive Team selections, six of which came during her Fever tenure. She also played a crucial role on the 2012 Fever squad that captured the franchise’s only WNBA title.
While not a prolific scorer, January was an efficient long-range shooter, hitting 37.6% of her 3-point attempts across her career and eclipsing the 40% mark three times—twice in Indiana. She even led the WNBA in 3-point percentage on two occasions and ranks among the league’s all-time leaders in makes from deep.
4. Tammy Sutton-Brown
Sutton-Brown joined the Fever midway through her WNBA career but made an immediate impact. In her first year with the team, she was named an All-Star and later became a starting center on the 2012 title-winning squad before retiring.
Her numbers don’t jump off the page, but Sutton-Brown was a dependable, tough interior presence. She ranks fourth in franchise history in total rebounds and is second only to Catchings in career blocks for the team. Her contributions were vital to some of Indiana’s most successful seasons.
3. Kelsey Mitchell
Mitchell is the only active player in the current top five and is already Indiana’s all-time leader in scoring average among players with at least 50 games played.
Now in her eighth season, Mitchell has emerged as more than just a scorer. After years of playing through rebuilding seasons, she’s earned back-to-back All-Star selections in 2023 and 2024 and finished 10th in MVP voting last season.
Known for her sharpshooting, Mitchell already ranks 14th in WNBA history in three-pointers made, with plenty of room to climb higher. If she re-signs with the Fever in free agency, she’s likely to maintain her place on this list for years to come—though Clark may eventually surpass her.
2. Katie Douglas
Though she only spent six seasons with the Fever, Katie Douglas made every one count.
Douglas made two All-Star appearances with Indiana and had a standout year in 2009, posting averages of 17.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.8 steals per game—good enough for a third-place finish in MVP voting.
She’s one of just two Fever players with 20+ career win shares, and among those who qualify, she ranks third in team history in both scoring and steals per game. Like others in the top five, Douglas played a key role in the Fever’s 2012 championship run.
1. Tamika Catchings
There’s no debate here: Tamika Catchings is the greatest player in Fever history—and arguably the greatest in WNBA history.
Catchings is the franchise’s all-time leader in almost every major category: minutes, points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks. Her sheer dominance across the board sets her apart not only from her Fever peers but from nearly every player who’s ever competed in the WNBA.
Her statistical impact is perhaps best illustrated by her career win shares total of 93.66, the most in league history. For context, Diana Taurasi is second at 74.49—a gap nearly equal to the one between Taurasi and the 16th-ranked player, Taj McWilliams-Franklin.
Catchings also leads the league all-time in steals per game and won five Defensive Player of the Year awards, making her arguably the best two-way wing the WNBA has ever seen. Despite earning only one MVP title, she finished in the top five of MVP voting 10 times, including third place in her rookie year.
Final Thoughts
While Caitlin Clark is already turning heads and Aliyah Boston is carving out her own path, the Fever’s legacy is rooted in the contributions of players like January, Sutton-Brown, Mitchell, Douglas, and Catchings. Catchings remains in a class of her own—for now—but the current generation may be poised to redefine this list in the years to come.
Leave a Reply