When the 2024 WNBA season tipped off, Lexi Hull’s career looked dangerously close to vanishing from the league’s conversation. The former sixth overall pick—once a trophy-lifter at Stanford and a projected franchise cornerstone—was buried at the end of the Indiana Fever bench, collecting splinters instead of minutes. Fans wondered if Hull would ever fulfill her promise, or if she’d be another draft bust gathering dust. The answer, as the season unfolded, would become one of the most compelling redemption arcs in modern basketball.

A Family Built on Competition

Hull’s basketball pedigree runs deep. Her grandfather, her father, and even her twin sister played the game. Growing up in a fiercely competitive family, Hull always knew basketball would be a part of her life. “My dad played collegiately, so basketball was put in my hands early,” Hull recalled. “But my parents were super excited about having us try every sport imaginable. My sister and I played a little bit of everything.”

That competitive edge was always there, but as the 2024 season began, Hull found herself on the outside looking in. Under former coach Christy Sides, she was leapfrogged in the rotation by role players with half her ceiling. Katie Lou Samuelson and Kristy Wallace were eating her minutes while Hull sat with a towel draped across her shoulders, wondering if her time would ever come.

The Arrival of Caitlin Clark: A Franchise Earthquake

Everything changed when Caitlin Clark arrived in Indiana. Clark, a generational talent, didn’t just join the roster—she rewrote the entire identity of the franchise. Her electrifying game brought energy and purpose to the offense, and her presence shifted the trajectory of every player on the team, Hull included.

For Hull, Clark’s arrival wasn’t just about basketball. “I think it was important to get to know her off the court,” Hull said. “Connections really play a part in the success of teams.” The chemistry Clark injected into the Fever was immediate. Practices had juice again, arenas filled with fans, and suddenly, Indiana was the hottest ticket in the league.

Trusting the Process Amidst Doubt

Early in the season, Hull’s playing time looked bleak. “At the beginning of the season, my playing time definitely looked different than it did at the end,” she admitted. “So, trusting that I was staying ready, putting in the work so that when I did get minutes out on the court, I could take full advantage of them. I was just really proud of myself for trusting the process and staying the course.”

The transition from Stanford star to WNBA benchwarmer was a mental hurdle as steep as any physical challenge. “Everyone on the court was the best player on their college team,” Hull explained. “You’re playing against people that have been there for years and years.” Meanwhile, the Fever stumbled to a 1-8 record out of the gate, with headlines filled with criticism—poor rotations, leaky defense, zero chemistry.

“We were just sick that we had lost so many games and also feeling like we were better than that,” Hull said. Stuck on the sideline, she had to fight her own doubts while the team looked like it was sinking.

The Clark Effect: Gravity, Vision, and Belief

Then Clark’s fire and competitiveness spread through the roster like wildfire. “Part of my role is just getting to the open spots,” Hull explained. “We have such a good offense that people find the open person. To be that open person, you get excited for the opportunity to shoot and score and be part of the momentum.”

Clark’s arrival transformed Hull’s opportunities. “She’s making passes I didn’t think were possible,” Hull admitted. Suddenly, every cut had a real chance of ending in a bucket. “It really just took one of those to get my head around like, ‘Oh, she’s all the way down at the other end of the floor and she could still make the pass to me down at the block at this end.’ It’s been awesome.”

Clark’s basketball brain was wired on fast forward. She read defenses like a quarterback, threading passes into windows teammates didn’t even know existed. Her gravity pulled defenders, freeing up Hull and others for scoring chances. The Fever’s offense was no longer stuck in the mud—it was humming.

“It’s so fun to know you’re not just cutting to cut, but cutting with the possibility of making a really cool play,” Hull said. “That makes it that much more worthwhile.”

Practice Battles Forge Team Identity

The real shift didn’t happen under bright lights, but behind closed doors in practice. “Those sessions became battles, not drills,” Hull explained. “Scrimmages turned into wars because Caitlin demanded it. If a set broke down, she pushed us to fix it on the spot. No excuses, no shortcuts.”

Clark’s competitiveness raised the bar, and the rest of the roster had to rise with it. Coaches saw the change, too. Practices that once dragged suddenly had teeth. From that fight, a true team identity began to form.

From Adversity to Sold-Out Arenas

As the Fever found their rhythm, the results followed. Hull’s confidence surged as her shooting percentages climbed. “During the Olympic break, we had a full month of practice. Seeing those shooting percentages climb gave me the belief I needed. That work in the dark paid off in the light.”

By the second half of the season, Hull was no longer just a body off the bench—she had carved out a central role in Indiana’s offense. “Kelsey and Caitlin attract so much attention,” Hull said. “That frees players like me to cut and find openings. And those openings started translating into buckets.”

Suddenly, Indiana wasn’t stumbling—it was surging. Sold-out crowds packed arenas, and social media lit up with praise for the new-look Fever. “Playing in front of a sold-out crowd gave us a type of energy we hadn’t felt in years,” Hull said. “It’s hard to put into words how much it meant.”

Hull described the thrill of newfound fame: “Walking through the grocery store in Indianapolis and someone fist bumps me and says ‘Go Fever’—that’s just a really cool environment. It shows the dedication of the fans and the fandom in the city.”

Owning the Spotlight and Building for the Future

Fame, Hull learned, is a double-edged sword. Every game came with online breakdowns, every loss with a wave of noise, and every win with new pressures. “Pros, it’s obvious—we have people filling the stands, cheering, excited for the individual success of the team and the league. There are so many more eyes on the game.”

Social media became both a blessing and a burden. “It’s easy to say ‘don’t read it,’ but everybody does a little bit. Having that support system helps keep you on track.”

Through it all, the Fever leaned on each other. Their locker room became a sanctuary, a space focused on growth, resilience, and camaraderie. “The biggest thing is finding people to get you out of that cycle and thinking about the positive things you did,” Hull said.

A Culture Shift That Could Define the Future

The story of the Indiana Fever is remarkable. From a disastrous franchise to one of basketball’s most talked-about teams, they proved that resilience and unity can flip an entire narrative. Hull’s resurgence embodied that lesson, and she’s the first to admit Clark was the catalyst.

“She’s not just a star player, she’s a force who makes everyone around her better,” Hull said. Clark lifted the entire franchise on and off the floor.

Indiana’s rise wasn’t only about wins—it was about identity. Sold-out crowds, an energized fan base, and a team culture built on accountability set the stage for long-term success.

“We’re not just playing for ourselves,” Hull said. “We’re playing for something bigger.”

With Clark leading, Hull thriving, and talents like Aaliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell ready to dominate, the Fever aren’t just contenders anymore—they’re a powerhouse in the making. The only question left is, can they take the leap from contenders to WNBA elite? Only time will tell.

For now, fans can celebrate the “Lexi Show”—and the remarkable turnaround that has everyone in the basketball world talking.