Caitlin Clark watched on as Stephanie White led the Indiana Fever to a 24-20 record in the 2025 WNBA season, securing the No. 6 seed in the playoffs. The Fever upset the No. 3 seed Atlanta Dream in the first round, before taking the No. 2 seed Las Vegas Aces to overtime in Game 5 of the semifinals. And they did all this without Clark.
Now, ahead of the 2026 WNBA season, Indiana has some work to do. Only three players are under contract this year, including Clark, Aliyah Boston and Makayla Timpson, while the rest of the roster, such as Kelsey Mitchell and Natasha Howard, have become free agents. The Fever will also be selecting with the No. 10 pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft, hoping to add another key player to pair with Clark. But before free agency begins in April, Indiana was dealt an unfortunate loss.
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Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) in front of head coach Stephanie White during a WNBA game.Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
(Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images)
David Simon became one of the top businessmen in America during his career, serving as CEO of Simon Property Group, one of the country’s largest real estate companies. He is the son of the company’s co-founder, Melvin Simon, and the nephew of Herb Simon, co-founder and owner of the Indiana Pacers and the Fever.
But on Monday, Simon Property Group announced that David Simon passed away on Sunday after a battle with cancer at just 64-years-old. Following his death, Herb Simon released a statement on the passing of his nephew.
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“My family and I are deeply saddened by my nephew David’s passing,” Herb Simon said. “I was proud to see him grow into an exceptional and transformative leader whose vision, dedication and discipline helped shape Simon Property Group into the world’s leading retail real estate company. His impact on our family, our community and the real estate industry will be felt for generations to come. We will miss him greatly.”
The Fever reacted to David Simon’s passing by sharing Herb Simon’s comments in a post, while also including their own message.
“Herb Simon and Pacers Sports & Entertainment on the passing of David Simon,” the Fever wrote on X.
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The Fever will tip off the 2026 WNBA season on May 9 with a matchup against Paige Bueckers and the Dallas Wings.
Related: Diana Taurasi’s Blunt Response to Team USA’s Caitlin Clark Decision
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Mar 23, 2026, where it first appeared in the WNBA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
