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Fans Suspect Fever Revealed WNBA Expansion Draft Protected Players in Deleted Post

Fans believe the Indiana Fever might have leaked their six protected players for the upcoming WNBA Expansion Draft in a now-deleted social media post.

Grant Young

Sep 25, 2024; Uncasville, Connecticut, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) talks to Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell (0) during the first half during game two of the first round of the 2024 WNBA Playoffs at Mohegan Sun Arena. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images
Sep 25, 2024; Uncasville, Connecticut, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) talks to Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell (0) during the first half during game two of the first round of the 2024 WNBA Playoffs at Mohegan Sun Arena. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images / Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images

One of the most compelling aspects of the current WNBA offseason is the WNBA Expansion Draft (which is to build a roster for the new Golden State Valkyries franchise) that's going to take place on December 6.

All 12 of the current WNBA franchises can protect up to six players (meaning these six can't be taken by the Valkyries in the draft), and Golden State will get to choose one player per team from the pool of remaining available players.

However, while the draft itself takes place on December 6, every team has until Monday (November 25) to submit their list of up to six protected players, which must include both those who finished the season on their roster (including soon-to-be unrestricted free agents) and any other player that the team holds rights to.

On Saturday, the Indiana Fever's X account posted a graphic that included head coach Stephanie White speaking to six Fever players (Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston, Kelsey Mitchell, NaLyssa Smith, Lexie Hull, and Temi Fagbenle) with the caption, "new era, new energy.

"already making plans for next season 😈".

The post has since been deleted, but fans took screenshots before it was.

Since there are six players in the graphic and Indiana is protecting six players in the Expansion Draft, Fever fans on social media seem convinced the six included are who the team will protect.

"did you just drop the 6 protected players?👀," X user @worldchamp44 wrote in response to the graphic.

Another fan added, "now THIS is how you announce the protected six".

"Well, we know who our protected 6 are," a third fan added.

To be clear, it is simply speculation that the image featured the six protected players and the whole thing could very well be a coincidence. Although the post now having been deleted makes the matter more compelling.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.

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