INDIANAPOLIS — Grace VanSlooten traveled to Indiana on Sunday as a member of the Seattle Storm to play the Indiana Fever.
Just five days later, she’s set to take the court again at Gainbridge Fieldhouse — this time as a Fever player.
Indiana signed the 6-foot-3 forward Friday. VanSlooten gives the Fever needed depth in the front court. Monique Billings missed the season opener with an ankle injury. Aliyah Boston missed the Fever’s game against Seattle on Sunday with a lower leg injury before returning Wednesday.
VanSlooten has yet to practice with the team. The rookie trusts her fellow bigs and the rest of her teammates to make the adjustment as seamless as possible.
“I got a couple plays under my belt, so I’m hoping to use those three to four plays that I actually know,” VanSlooten said. “I gotta really rely on communication with my teammates, and I’ve heard that they’re great communicators, so I put a lot of trust in them to tell me where to be on the floor and tell me what to do. I know they’ll be great at helping me out.”
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The Storm drafted VanSlooten with the 39th pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft. VanSlooten, a two-time All-Big Ten honoree at Michigan State, averaged 15.1 points and 6.8 rebounds per game in her senior year with the Spartans.
She averaged 4.3 points and 1.5 rebounds per game with Seattle before she was waived Monday.
VanSlooten said the Fever staff and fans should expect a “blue-collar” player, one who works hard, runs fast and is versatile.
Coach Stephanie White praised VanSlooten’s skillset and athleticism. White acknowledged her bounce and said VanSlooten has “really good size.”
VanSlooten said the “next step” in her growth as a player is the 3-point shot. She went 2 for 2 in her first two games of the season and 0 for 1 in her previous two. The Fever could use some help in that area, as they are shooting just 32.4% from beyond the arc this season, placing them 11th in the league.
Whether in the paint or from the perimeter, VanSlooten is eager to make an impact with the Fever. VanSlooten played the first of her final three college games at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. She scored 13 points on 6-of-13 shooting from the field and had nine rebounds, three assists, three steals and a block in 31 minutes against Illinois in the second round of the Big Ten women’s basketball tournament on March 5.
VanSlooten believes the Fever have the culture to unlock that version of herself in the WNBA.
“So far, everybody’s been great, really welcoming,” she said. “They seem to want to run and play fast, and that’s what I’m all about. So hopefully it’s a great fit.”
Joshua Heron is an enterprise and Fever reporter. Follow him on Twitter at @HeronReports. Get IndyStar’s Indiana Fever and Caitlin Clark coverage sent directly to your inbox with our Caitlin Clark Fever newsletter. Subscribe to IndyStar TV: Fever for in-depth analysis, behind-the-scenes coverage and more.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Rookie to rely on teammates in quick transition to Indiana Fever after mid-season signing
Reporting by Joshua Heron, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
