Not even the Indiana Fever’s coaching staff has been spared from the team’s injury woes. Before Tuesday’s loss to the Phoenix Mercury, head coach Stephanie White revealed that player development coach Keith Porter suffered a ruptured right Achilles tendon.
“His spirits are good,” White said. “Keith’s always upbeat and full of faith. It’s an adjustment with him not being on the floor, but after surgery he’ll be back. His voice will still be heard, he’ll still be coaching, giving tips, staying involved. Once he’s cleared, he’ll return to passing and working with players, even if he can’t be physical right away.”
Porter, known for his work with three-time All-Star Aliyah Boston, now joins a long list of injured Fever personnel. A season that began with title aspirations has instead been defined by setbacks. Caitlin Clark has only played in 13 games due to multiple lower-body injuries, while Chloe Bibby, Sydney Colson, Sophie Cunningham, and Aari McDonald have all been shut down for the season.
Following Tuesday’s defeat, Indiana sits in eighth place at 21–20, just 1.5 games ahead of the Los Angeles Sparks, who hold the head-to-head tiebreaker. With the regular season ending on Sept. 9, the Fever’s playoff hopes are under serious pressure.
Here’s the current injury breakdown:
Chloe Bibby (Left knee, out for season): Signed midseason, Bibby flashed early promise with her shooting but has been sidelined since Aug. 17 with knee issues.
Caitlin Clark (Right groin, out indefinitely): After multiple quad and groin setbacks, Clark hasn’t played since mid-July and still hasn’t been cleared for contact drills. White remains hopeful but cautious about her return.
Sydney Colson (Torn left ACL, out for season): The veteran guard went down on Aug. 7 chasing a rebound. She averaged 2.4 points and 2 assists across 30 appearances.
Sophie Cunningham (Torn right MCL, out for season): Acquired in a blockbuster offseason trade, Cunningham hit her stride midseason before a collision on Aug. 17 ended her year.
Aari McDonald (Broken right foot, out for season): A midseason pickup who stabilized the backcourt, McDonald averaged 9.8 points and 4.7 assists in 20 games before her injury, also suffered on Aug. 7.
The Fever’s roster looks drastically different from opening night, and with injuries piling up, their postseason push is hanging by a thread.
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