Fever projected to pick 'resilient' and versatile Caitlin Clark rival in WNBA draft

Though the Indiana Fever will pick a modest 10th overall in the 2026 WNBA Draft, the number of good to great prospects in this year's class makes it likely the Fever will end up with a solid contributor come Monday night.

That would be huge for an Indiana team entering a championship contention window with Aliyah Boston and Caitlin Clark -- both former first overall picks -- as the franchise's standard-bearers. The Fever roster could get expensive, and quickly; acquiring young talent on the cheap has to be how Indiana fills out its squad in this new era.

MORE: Fever's predicted WNBA draft pick makes 'too much sense' as Caitlin Clark help

ESPN's latest WNBA mock draft has the Fever picking someone Clark knows well from her record-setting career at the University of Iowa. Michael Voepel has Indiana drafting South Carolina star Raven Johnson in what would be a fascinating choice to pair two former NCAA rivals.

Named SEC Defensive Player of the Year this season, Johnson is a tenacious, versatile guard with superb instincts. That played out in two national title wins, in 2022 and 2024; in the latter, Johnson hounded Clark throughout the championship game, picking her up full-court and forcing the ball out of her hands more than Iowa wanted.

"It appears Johnson helped her draft stock plenty as a senior because of the traits she showed: leadership, maturity and resilience," Voepel wrote. "We saw those qualities throughout her career at South Carolina, but they were key in helping the Gamecocks reach the national championship game again and end UConn's unbeaten season."

Raven Johnson rips Caitlin Clark and gets a bucket 👀 pic.twitter.com/nemlgugSDv

Johnson's decision to return to Columbia for her senior season under Dawn Staley paid off in a big way as she played in yet another Final Four and a third successive national championship game. She may not be a polished prospect offensively, but it is not hard to see Johnson carving out a strong WNBA career as a defensive stopper and a valuable reserve.

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