Caitlin Clark came back from injury with a vengeance in her third WNBA season, and the Indiana Fever, riding high on her redemption tour, definitely made waves across the league in 2026. The Emerald City saw those waves firsthand, with our very own Storm getting caught up in the current twice. Clark missed 13 total games last year due to injury, so you knew she was returning to the court with redemption absolutely top of mind. And man, did it show.
The Fever’s Hot Start and Championship Aspirations
Before the Storm even stepped onto the court against them, the Fever were already cooking. They opened their 2026 campaign at home on Saturday, May 9, taking a tough 107-104 loss to the Wings. But they bounced back quick, grabbing an 87-78 road win against the Sparks just a few days later. Despite a myriad of team injuries last year, the Fever showed their grit by pushing the eventual champion Aces to five games in the league semifinals. That’s serious business. With the core of Clark, Aliyah Boston, Sophie Cunningham, and Kelsey Mitchell all back, Indiana looked like a top franchise this season, and their early results against tough competition confirmed it. By mid-June, they were already pulling off big wins, like that 114-106 overtime thriller against the Sky.
Our Storm Couldn’t Slow Down the Clark Train
The Fever’s schedule took them through our neck of the woods twice, and both times, the outcome stung for Seattle fans. The first matchup was on Sunday, May 17, when the Fever hosted the Storm and handed them an 89-78 loss. That was a tough pill to swallow early in the season. Then, in late July, the Fever came to Climate Pledge Arena on Tuesday, July 28, and kept their foot on the gas, beating our Storm again 105-95. It was a clear message: Caitlin Clark and the Fever were for real. They even handled the eventual champion Aces twice in July, beating them 84-68 and 109-75, which really makes those Storm losses feel like a missed opportunity to challenge a true contender.
The Fever wrapped up their 2026 season against Minnesota on Thursday, September 24. While we respect the talent on that Indiana squad, seeing them beat our Storm twice is a wake-up call for our Emerald City crew. We need to see our Storm figure out how to shut down teams like the Fever. What changes can we make to turn those close games, or even those double-digit losses, into Ws next season? We’ll be watching and waiting to see how the Storm respond.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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