According to ESPN, it’s the league-leading New York Liberty who are currently in prime position to go all the way and win the title this season. They are followed closely by the defending champs Las Vegas Aces, whose experience is expected to play a pivotal role in their chase for a third consecutive chip.

ESPN also noted that given their standing in the league — they are currently seventh with a 13-15 record — the Indiana Fever are in line to secure one of the eight available playoff spots. Caitlin Clark and Co., however, are not expected to contend for the championship this year. 

“But we keep the Fever seventh on this list for now because it’s an enormous jump to go from a seven-season playoff drought to a title, led by stars who are only in their first (Caitlin Clark) and second (Aliyah Boston) WNBA seasons,” ESPN’s senior writer Michael Voepel wrote. “But there’s starting to be real playoff fever for the Fever, and that’s the first step.”  

The article does note that the Clark-led Fever have bounced back from a “rough first month” of the campaign. They have won 10 out of their last 15 games, which includes noteworthy victories against the Liberty and the Phoenix Mercury, to name a couple. 

Be that as it may, their lack of experience in the postseason could be a significant factor for Indiana. Clark, despite how she’s taken the league by storm in her debut season, is, at the end of the day, still a rookie. 

At this point, ESPN is of the belief that Clark might not have enough in her bag to lead Indiana to a championship in her first year. 

Then again, after what we’ve seen from the former Iowa superstar thus far, it probably wouldn’t be wise to count her and the Fever out completely.