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By Matthew Couden
Contributing Writer
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With the WNBA regular season more than halfway over, the Indiana Fever are making a strong push towards the postseason, and have upgraded their roster with a two-time champion.
On Monday, the Fever signed 6-foot-6 center Mercedes Russell to a contract. Russell played for several WNBA teams, with the New York Liberty initially selecting her in the second round of the 2018 draft. She ended up signing with the Seattle Storm that year and played through 2024.
She also spent time in the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL), where she won a championship in 2024 with the Australian Southside Flyers and was named the WNBL Grand Final MVP for her performance.
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In the WNBA, Russell last suited up for the Los Angeles Sparks in the 2025 WNBA season, averaging only 8.2 minutes per game in 20 games. Due to the limited time, her production was also limited, with Russell averaging 1.7 points and 1.2 rebounds per game.
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The Indiana Fever currently sit fourth in the WNBA standings with a record of 20-12. Following the Las Vegas Aces' loss to the Liberty on Sunday, the Fever moved just a bit closer to the third spot in the standings.
Having backup centers available will be key for their roster as they near the postseason, with recent injuries at the position. They lost Damiris Dantas to season-ending knee surgery earlier this month, and more recently, center Michelle Onyiah was ruled out for Saturday's game against the Chicago Sky.
While Russell wasn't a double-double machine in her most recent WNBA season with the Sparks, she could prove otherwise with Indiana. Her performance with Melbourne's Southside Flyers in the WNBL championship series featured averages of 14.3 points, 12.7 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game.
Russell won her two championships as a member of the Seattle Storm in 2018 and 2020, playing a reserve role behind star center Breanna Stewart. She could emerge as a solid backup center for the Fever behind Aliyah Boston and definitely be helpful for Indiana defensively.
Averaging 95.9 points per game, the Fever are currently the league's highest-scoring team, but they're also the fourth-worst in points allowed, giving up 90.4 points per game to opponents. They rank near the middle of WNBA teams with an average of four blocks per game, so Russell could become an additional menace in the paint for driving opponents.
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