Indiana Fever Faces WNBA Jealousy Over Caitlin Clark's Impact

Since Caitlin Clark was drafted first overall by the Indiana Fever in 2024, the team has experienced unprecedented media attention and fan support, which has also brought significant jealousy and hostility from other WNBA teams. Lexie Hull, a guard for the Fever, highlighted this dynamic in interviews, noting that rival players and teams have expressed a strong desire to defeat the Fever, often bringing extra motivation and physicality to games against them. Despite Clark's season-ending injury, Hull stepped up in the playoffs, helping the team reach the semifinals, but the Fever did not receive the same media spotlight as before. Hull and teammate Sophie Cunningham both acknowledged that the Fever is uniquely targeted across the league, with opponents often circling them on their schedules and showing clear animosity. The "Caitlin Clark Effect" has boosted the league's popularity, attendance, and media deals, but it has also made the Fever a team that others are determined to beat. Hull remains unfazed by the criticism and sees the extra effort from opponents as a positive challenge that raises the level of competition league-wide.