The Indiana Fever and Washington Mystics begin their 2025 campaigns on Saturday afternoon with the two WNBA teams set to meet for a preseason game in Indianapolis. After failing to make deep postseason runs in 2024 (the Mystics missed out on the playoffs all together), Indiana and Washington will be hoping for better in 2025 with both teams adding some interesting pieces to their rosters.
The Mystics and Fever have added new coaches as they look to pivot in a new direction this season. 2023 WNBA Coach of the Year Stephanie White was brought in to steer the Fever back into the playoffs. The Mystics will turn to Sydney Johnson to steady the ship. Johnson has plenty of experience coaching at the college level and was also an assistant with the Chicago Sky last year.
Where To Watch Mystics vs. Fever?
Date: Saturday, May 3
Time: 1:00 p.m. EST (10:00 a.m. PST)
Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
Arena: Gainbridge Fieldhouse
The game will be available to watch on NBA TV. Fans who want to stream it can also catch the action on WNBA League Pass and fuboTV.
Mystics vs. Fever Preview
With last season’s Rookie of the Year, Caitlin Clark, set to make her highly anticipated return to the court, a vibrant and enthusiastic crowd is expected at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse for this encounter. Clark made in immediate impact in her rookie season, with the Iowa native leading the league in assists and 3-pointers. She was also the only rookie in the history of the WNBA to record a triple-double, achieving the feat of two occasions.
The Fever have a handful of new faces and fans will get a first look at DeWanna Bonner, Sophie Cunningham, Natasha Howard, Jaelyn Brown, Brianna Turner and Sydney Colson in Fever colors. It will be interesting to see how two-time champion and six-time All-Star Bonner gels with her new teammates. Cunningham, who spent the last six seasons with the Mercury, is also a an exciting prospect who can contribute in a variety of ways.
The Mystics recognized that they needed to make changes after a disappointing season. The organization brought in head coach Sydney Johnson and general manager Jamila Wideman to usher in a new era and they will have a monumental task on their hands.
Following a 14-win season, the Mystics look to be in full rebuild mode with the organization parting ways with key players like guards Shatori Walker-Kimbrough and Julie Anita Vanloo. The strategy has been to pick up young talent in the draft with Sonia Citron, Kiki Iriafen and Georgia Amoore all selected early in the first round of the 2025 WNBA draft.
Brittney Sykes, who played just 18 games last season due to injuries, should also play a big role for the Mystics this year.
Following Saturday’s game against the Mystics, the Fever will head to Iowa City to take on the Brazilian national team on May 4 at the Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The Mystics will return to DC for their final preseason game against the Atlanta Dream on May 7.
Key Matchup: Caitlin Clark vs. Brittney Sykes
Over an impressive eight-year WNBA career, Sykes has established herself as one of the game’s elite defenders. The 5’9″ guard led the league in steals in 2021 and 2022 and was named to the WNBA All-Defensive first-team in 2021 and 2023. He finished third in the Defensive Player of the Year voting in 2023, behind only A’ja Wilson and Alyssa Thomas.
While Skyes has made a name for herself on the defensive end, Clark is known as one of the league’s most dangerous offensive threats. The Fever point guard is lethal from behind the arc. Last year, she led the WNBA with 122 3-pointers, shooting a remarkable 34.4%.
When she wasn’t scoring, Clark was getting her teammates involved. No player in the history of the WNBA finished a season with as many assists as Clark, with the 23-year-old logging 337 assists to break the previous record held by Alyssa Thomas in her rookie season.