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WNBA Issues Statement After Indiana Fever's Championship Win

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Paolo Songco | Last updated Jul 1, 2025 11:27 PM ET

No Caitlin Clark, no problem for the Indiana Fever.

Despite being clear underdogs against the defending champions, the Minnesota Lynx, the Fever fought hard and battled through adversity to emerge as the 2025 Commissioner's Cup champions.

Clark, who is nursing a lingering groin injury that has forced her to miss Indiana's last three games, avidly watched from the bench as her teammates overpowered the league-best Lynx en route to winning their first franchise Cup championship.

Indiana's major accomplishment drew a strong statement from the WNBA shortly after the final buzzer.

"FIRST TITLE IN FRANCHISE HISTORY The @indianafever defeat the @minnesotalynx 74-59 to claim the Commissioner's Cup!" the league posted on X.

FIRST TITLE IN FRANCHISE HISTORY

The @indianafever defeat the @minnesotalynx 74-59 to claim the Commissioner's Cup!

WNBA Commissioner's Cup presented by @coinbase pic.twitter.com/MXcz3h5rSN
— WNBA (@WNBA) July 2, 2025

The WNBA was quick to congratulate the Clark-less Fever for their incredible performance on Tuesday night.

It was a concerted effort from Indiana, getting strong outings from Aliyah Boston (12 points, 11 rebounds, six assists), Kelsey Mitchell (12 points, three assists) and Sophie Cunningham (13 points, seven rebounds).

But it was veteran forward Natasha Howard who stood out after delivering a 16-point, 12-rebound double-double with four assists and two steals. Because of her strong performance, Howard was named the Commissioner's Cup MVP.

It was a historic evening for Indiana as it secured its first-ever Commissioner's Cup title in franchise history. Now that they've gotten their first taste of hardware, the Fever should be hungry to go out there and compete for the WNBA championship this season, especially with Clark expected to return from injury in the not-so-distant future.

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

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