Caitlin Clark Makes Surprising Admission About Potential Fever Extension

Caitlin Clark said Thursday that she has not decided whether to sign an EPIC extension with the Indiana Fever and has not yet discussed one with the front office.

The provision is part of the seven-year WNBA collective bargaining agreement that took effect this season.

EPIC, short for Exceptional Performance on Initial Contract, allows a player to renegotiate the final year of her rookie deal as part of a new three-year extension. A player qualifies by making the All-WNBA First or Second Team, or by winning MVP, within her first three seasons.

Clark made the All-WNBA First Team as a rookie in 2024. The Fever exercised the fourth-year option on her rookie contract April 28.

She averaged 22.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 8.3 assists in 40 games this season. She became the first player in league history with 800 points and 300 assists in a single season.

No matter what Clark decides on the extension, she will be in Indiana.

"I think there's a lot of things to think about," Clark said. "Obviously it's great that I have that opportunity. And I think for myself, we obviously haven't gotten into roster construction yet. We have to think about things with the cap and what we're going to need and who we're going to need to sign and what value they bring to the team. So not saying I am going to sign it, not saying I'm going to sign it or not sign it. I think it's just kind of figuring out the way we need to construct our roster. No matter what, I'm going to be here. I just want to do what's best for the team and make sure we have the opportunity to be able to win championships. That's my main goal."

"Obviously, it's a really cool opportunity," Clark continued. "I think it's something that's great that was added to the CBA to reward young players that are on their rookie deals. I think now Angel will be able to get onto her EPIC as well. Obviously, we saw AB get onto her EPIC, and then Paige will be able to the following year, I believe. Just something that's really cool. I think it shows respect to the young players that are really talented in our league, and I just think for myself it's more a decision of how we can best construct a roster and what's going to be best for our team to help us win championships."

Aliyah Boston, the No. 1 overall pick in 2023 and that season's Rookie of the Year, became the first player to sign under the provision.

She agreed April 17 to a four-year, $6.3 million extension that runs through 2029 and pays her $1 million in 2026. The maximum salary under the previous CBA was roughly $250,000.

Boston and Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers were named to the All-WNBA Second Team in 2025. Angel Reese's Atlanta Dream swept the New York Liberty in the semifinals to reach the WNBA Finals.

Clark has not had extension discussions with the front office yet.

"I think for myself, my focus is on winning," Clark explained. "I certainly know what I deserve and what I'm worth. But at the same time, sometimes you have to make sacrifices. And I'm not saying I'm not going to sign it. I'm not saying I am going to sign it. We haven't gotten to those discussions. I haven't even honestly given it much thought. I've been playing 18 holes every single day."

"So I think those are just conversations that I'll have with the front office and then ownership about where we want to go and what we need and what sacrifices have to be made or not made, or who we can pay or who needs this or who needs that," Clark added. "But like I said, I think it's something great that was done in the CBA. People having that opportunity is a really big deal, and I think if you are a player that has this opportunity, it should mean a lot to you and you should be proud of it. But I think just for myself, I want to look at how I can help this team win the best."

Kelsey Mitchell, who averaged 24.7 points, is an unrestricted free agent after playing 2026 on a one-year, $1.4 million supermax deal.

The 2027 salary cap has not been set under the new revenue-sharing model.

Last offseason's free agency ran on a compressed schedule because of the CBA negotiations..

Fever general manager Amber Cox makes the final call on the roster, Clark said, but asks the players for their opinions.

"I think it's the responsibility of, specifically probably me and AB at this point, as kind of the two leaders of this team," Clark said. "And then obviously, hopefully we get Kelsey back and she can be helping us as well."

"Us and Amber, we always have open dialogue about players, and I think this probably goes for any team sport," Clark continued. "You [hear rumblings about] how players are in the locker room or what they're like to play like or play with and things like that, and that's all helpful to the GM or whatever it is. So you share those type of things about who you think we can get or whose play style will fit next to whoever it is and what positions are most important for us to get. So I think certainly those are definitely conversations we have with Amber."

"At the end of the day, Amber's the GM and she makes the final call, but she certainly asks us our opinion and wants us to have a voice in that," Clark detailed. "I can't say I'm the one sitting there constructing the roster. I'm not the general manager. But we do have an opinion, and it's also helpful to Kelly and Amber to hear our voices and to know certain things or know what we think might work or not work or whatever it is. So continue to use my voice in that the best I can and continue to help free agents want to come here or show them around if they come on a visit."

"Obviously it was interesting because my first year, we had some of those," Clark noted. "And then my second year, after last year, with just the CBA, nobody really took visits to figure out where they wanted to go. So there wasn't a whole lot of recruiting of free agents other than texting and calling. So I think this offseason will be a little bit different, and I'll be very involved in that."

Cox joined the Fever as chief operating officer and general manager in October 2024 after serving as chief operating officer of the Wings. Kelly Krauskopf returned to the franchise the month before as president of business and basketball operations.

Indiana went 28-16 and lost to Las Vegas in three games in the first round.