Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever received a boost with the selection of top prospect Raven Johnson in the 2026 WNBA Draft. The Fever aim to break their Finals drought, having last appeared in 2015.
Caitlin Clark gets great news as 'one of the best prospects ever' joins Fever following WNBA Draft originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The dust is settling on the 2026 WNBA Draft, and the Indiana Fever's selections continue to be pored over.
Expectations are high in Indiana, where the Fever are hoping to get over the hump and into the WNBA Finals. Caitlin Clark, Kelsey Mitchell and company are looking to end a drought that long precedes them; Indiana hasn't played in the Finals since 2015, though the Fever pushed the Las Vegas Aces to the brink in last season's semifinals.
MORE:Caitlin Clark fans will love Fever's ranking among WNBA's best lineups
To augment a core helmed by All-WNBA talent in Clark, Mitchell and Aliyah Boston, the Fever selected South Carolina guard Raven Johnson with the 10th overall pick in Monday's draft. Indiana later picked Vanderbilt big Justine Pissott and Alabama scoring guard Jessica Timmons.
Bleacher Report's Hunter Cruse sees value in all three picks. He handed the Johnson selection a B grade, while Pissott received a B-minus and Timmons a more-reserved C-plus.
Cruse praised Johnson as "one of the best defensive guard prospects ever" given her 5'9'' build and 6'2'' wingspan. She will provide elite point-of-attack defense that fills one of the few holes on the Fever's balanced roster.
"The way (Johnson) processes the game, defends and rebounds fits perfectly within Indiana's system," Cruse writes, even if Johnson's shot is still developing.
Pissott is 6'4'' forward who can replace what Chloe Bibby brought to the Fever in terms of long-range shooting last season, while Timmons is a bit undersized but shot nearly 40 percent from three in her final NCAA season.
But the real pick of the litter here is Johnson, who should complement and optimize the Fever's two elite offensive guards in Clark and Mitchell right away.
The Indiana Fever selected South Carolina guard Raven Johnson with the 10th overall pick, along with Justine Pissott and Jessica Timmons.
The Fever aim to reach the WNBA Finals for the first time since 2015, building on their strong core of players including Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell.
Caitlin Clark's All-WNBA talent has set high expectations for the Fever, prompting them to enhance their lineup with top prospects like Raven Johnson.
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