Sep 9, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon holds a presser before a game against the Chicago Sky at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Becky Hammon's 'Perfect' Indiana Fever Assessment Says It All

Originally posted on Indiana Fever on SI | By Grant Young | Last updated Nov 12, 2025 12:16 PM ET

The Indiana Fever wowed the women's basketball community when they took the Las Vegas Aces to the absolute brink in their 2025 WNBA Semifinals series.

Despite the Fever's roster being extremely injury-plagued (including season-ending injuries to Caitlin Clark, Sophie Cunningham, and several other important players), the Fever managed to take the Aces to overtime in the winner-take-all Game 5 contest, despite star center Aliyah Boston fouling out earlier in the game, along with Kelsey Mitchell sitting out overtime because of an injury she suffered in the second half.

This earned the Fever a lot of credit from the WNBA world. It also prompted Aces head coach Becky Hammon to give the squad their flowers during her Aces exit interview on October 16 by saying, "When you go back and watch those games, I didn't feel like it was so much of us playing bad, as they played great. Like, Indiana played great," per a YouTube video from The Ballers Magazine.

"They had great individual performances, I think they're coached great... that was a very good team, a very resilient team that had just went through Atlanta. Like, I don't think, instead of trying to not take away from our credit, why don't we give them credit?" she continued. "I mean, they're a formidable bunch. And I thought they played great."

Becky Hammon Praises "Perfect Example" Indiana Fever

Hammon was the guest on a November 12 episode of the Post Moves podcast with Candace Parker and Aliyah Boston. And at one point, she continued her praise of the Fever's 2025 season.

"The Fever were a perfect example of that," Hammon said when speaking about the value of a team staying present and not taking things for granted. "Like, ups and downs, the resiliency that a team has to go through and grow from. Because you have no point but to get up and go to work tomorrow. That's the only option. So it's the next person up."

Hammon later added, "Indiana, actually, was probably the hardest series I've been through... I was pissed after Game 5."

Because she was speaking to Aliyah Boston, she said, "I'm sure you were more pissed. But then I went back and watched it... I'm like, 'Indiana just played their a**** off.' Like, you guys played amazing. Can't be mad at either team. It was just two teams, blow for blow, back and forth. And both teams really playing at an elite level.

"Those were two teams just going at it, in the best way, I thought. Super competitive, down to the wire, obviously, in most of those games. So this one hit different, for sure," Hammon added.

Hammon calling the Fever a "perfect example" in assessing how they handled adversity and showed resilience has got to make fans feel good about what this team can accomplish once they get completely healthy in 2026.

This article first appeared on Indiana Fever on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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