Indiana Pacers assistant GM Kelly Krauskopf leaving team for role with Indiana Fever

Krauskopf was previously the President of the Fever for nearly two decades

Dec. 17, 2018; Indiana Pacers assistant general manager Kelly Krauskopf speaks with media at the St. Vincent Center. Mandatory Credit: Mykal McEldowney/IndyStar via USA TODAY NETWORK / Indianapolis Star-Imagn Images

Indiana Pacers assistant general manager Kelly Krauskopf is leaving the team after a nearly six-year stint in the front office.

Krauskopf isn't going far, though. In fact, she can work in the same building. She will become the President of both Basketball and Business Operations for the Indiana Fever once the 2024 WNBA season is over. The 2024 WNBA postseason, which includes the Fever, started on Sunday.

The Fever and Women's Basketball are in a historic moment, and Krauskopf is returning to the franchise to be a leader. She was the Fever's President from 2000-2018 before becoming the first woman to hold an executive basketball management role for an NBA team with the Pacers.

"The WNBA and the Fever have always been a part of me, and it is truly a privilege to be asked to return to lead this team at this unprecedented time of the growth in women's basketball," Krauskopf said in a release. "I want to thank (President of Basketball Operations) Kevin Pritchard for asking me to join his management staff six years ago. There's no doubt that experience will serve me well as I enter this next chapter."

Krauskopf drafted Tamika Catchings, the best player in Fever franchise history, and hired Lin Dunn to be the head coach in the 2000s. Together, those moves made it possible for Indiana to win the 2012 WNBA title. They made the Finals three times under Krauskopf's leadership.

Now, she's coming back. And she will work with Dunn, who is presently the GM of the franchise. Current Fever head coach Christie Sides was an assistant coach with the Fever during
Krauskopf's first tenure as President, and Krauskopf told The Next about her role in helping Dunn hire Sides back in 2022.

"She’s just the right fit at the right time," Krauskopf said.

The new Fever President spent six seasons with the Pacers. They made the playoffs three times with Krauskopf in the front office, including a trip to the 2024 Eastern Conference Finals.

"Kelly has long been a trend-setter and trailblazer, and we could not be more excited for her as she returns to lead the Fever into a very bright future," Pritchard said. "During her time with us, she was a key part of our front office and was integral in helping build the roster that reached the Eastern Conference Finals last season. As she leaves to write a new chapter in her already successful career, we are grateful for her contributions to the Pacers and wish her the best!"

The Pacers upcoming season starts next week. The Fever are down 0-1 in their best-of-three first-round playoff series.

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