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Caitlin Clark Tried to Pull a LeBron James This Offseason; Fever Star Gets Candid

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Spencer Ostrow | Last updated May 15, 2025 12:04 PM ET

Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever are entering the 2025 WNBA season with much higher expectations than they faced a year ago.

After finishing 20-20 and getting swept in the first round of the playoffs, they now hold the second-best odds to win the WNBA title, tied with the Las Vegas Aces at +350—just behind the New York Liberty at +230, according to ESPN Bet.

There are two main drivers behind the high expectations: First, Clark, the reigning Rookie of the Year, has more experience and a full season under her belt. Second, the Fever made key offseason additions, bringing in veterans Sophie Cunningham, DeWanna Bonner, Brianna Turner, and Natasha Howard to bolster the roster.

Cunningham didn’t have a choice in joining the Fever—she was traded—but the other three were free agents. According to Sports Illustrated, the Fever’s front office did their part in recruiting, and Clark also reached out on her own.

In a recent Sports Illustrated story by Emma Baccellieri, Clark admitted that recruiting wasn’t really necessary as Bonner, Turner, and Howard already wanted to come.

"People want to come here and play with us and be a part of this organization, Clark told Sports Illustrated. "Honestly, in our case, it worked out pretty fast. Everyone wanted to come."

Caitlin Clark led her own recruiting push this offseason, reaching out to players that management was going after.

But she found that none of her calls had been particularly needed pic.twitter.com/owotjopCNW
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) May 15, 2025

Despite being just 23 years old, Clark is already the face of the Fever and the talk of the WNBA. During her first true offseason, she’s already shown similarities to NBA superstar LeBron James, particularly when it comes to recruiting.

Fans have long joked that James plays the role of general manager throughout his career. He was responsible for forming the Big Three with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, as well as pushing for moves involving players like Kevin Love, Iman Shumpert, JR Smith, Kyle Korver, Anthony Davis, Carmelo Anthony, Russell Westbrook, and Tristan Thompson.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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