UNCASVILLE, Conn. — Erica Wheeler always knew Caitlin Clark joining the Indiana Fever would change things around the franchise, even if she wasn’t sure what that might entail or the ultimate result. She simply knew the young superstar would make whatever they had going on better.
“But did I think it would be this? No,” Wheeler said. “I think all of us are just still, like, nah, we’re not even supposed to be here. But we’re here.”
“Here” is Mohegan Sun, where the franchise’s first playoff appearance since 2016 tips off on Sunday (3 p.m. ET, ABC) against the No. 3 Connecticut Sun. The Fever are underdog darlings and expected to have a shot to pull off an upset in the best-of-three first-round format despite starting the season here with a blowout loss that began a 1-9 start.
The two timeline entries couldn’t be further from each other for Clark, Wheeler and the Fever.
“It feels like a completely different season, honestly, since when we were here from the very first time we played,” Clark said.