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Aug 25, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Sky franchise legend and WNBA Champion Candace Parker speaks during a press conference before a WNBA game between the Chicago Sky and Las Vegas Aces at Wintrust Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Candace Parker's 1-Word Summary of Indiana Fever's WNBA Season Speaks Volumes

Originally posted on Indiana Fever on SI | By Grant Young | Last updated Sep 15, 2025 4:51 PM ET

Heading into the 2025 WNBA regular season, the Indiana Fever were expected by most within the women's basketball community to contend for a championship this season.

These high expectations were the result of Indiana's core of Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston, Kelsey Mitchell, and Lexie Hull impressive during the 2024 campaign (where Clark won WNBA Rookie of the Year and finished fourth in WNBA MVP voting) combined with the Fever hiring esteemed head coach Stephanie White and adding several veteran players (such as DeWanna Bonner, Natasha Howard, and Sophie Cunningham) to their roster this past offseason.

All of this made the Fever seem like a team to beat in the 2025 WNBA season. But things haven't worked out that way.

The biggest problem has been Caitlin Clark's injury-plagued campaign, where she has only played in 13 contests because of various groin injuries. Not to mention many other players having to deal with injuries and all the distractions that stemmed from DeWanna Bonner requesting a trade out of Indiana because she didn't like her role, and ultimately getting waived a few months back.

The Fever are long shots to compete for a championship next month. In fact, they're just one defeat away from getting eliminated by the Atlanta Dream in the first round of the playoffs. Yet, this squad still produced its first winning regular season in a decade and secured a postseason spot, despite all the adversity they faced. That has to count for something.

Candace Parker Shares Telling 1-Word Verdict About Fever 2025 Season

WNBA legend Candace Parker does a weekly podcast with Aliyah Boston called Post Moves. And in a teaser X post of this week's episode, Parker and Boston both revealed their one word to describe the Fever this season.

"Swaggy," Boston said, seemingly tongue in cheek.

"Despite," Parker said for her answer.

When Boston laughed at this, Parker added, "I'm serious, though! Like y'all, are really like, 'despite'. Despite everything." And Boston agreed with this analysis.

Candace Parker and Aliyah Boston describe every WNBA playoff team in one word pic.twitter.com/aGrXTnUutZ
— Post Moves with Candace Parker & Aliyah Boston (@PostMovesShow) September 14, 2025

Parker using "despite" to describe the Fever in one word seems so fitting, and is a great way to encapsulate Indiana's relative success with the stacked against them this year.

The Fever currently have the odds against them once again, as they now need to win two straight contests against a loaded Dream squad if they want to advance to the second round.

At least the Fever have been through adversity before, which gives them a fighting chance — despite what any naysayers might suggest.

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

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