Raven Johnson is the latest player to join Caitlin Clark’s supporting cast in Indiana. The Fever made the former South Carolina point guard the No. 10 pick of the 2026 WNBA draft on Monday.
In the post-draft interview, Johnson replied when asked to share her thoughts on playing with stars such as Clark, Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell (via Scott Agness):
“I think I’ll learn a lot from them. I’m going to be a sponge. I’m probably going to be a gnat, too, because I’m going to ask them a lot of questions. I’m probably going to get on their nerves because of my personality. I like to joke a little bit.”
The Fever were expected to add frontcourt depth to give All-Star center Boston some help. Some predicted GM Amber Cox to get either UCLA’s versatile forward Angela Dugalic or South Carolina’s intriguing 6-foot-6 center Madina Okot.
Instead, Cox kept up the Fever’s trend of looking for guards who play with grit and hustle. Raven Johnson, the SEC Defensive Player of the Year, fits that bill. In South Carolina’s 62-48 upset of UConn in the Final Four, Johnson helped limit Azzi Fudd, this year’s top pick, to eight points on 3-for-15 shooting.
Johnson’s improvement on offense is another added value that the Fever appreciated. In Johnson’s final season with the Gamecocks, she averaged 9.9 points, 5.1 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game, all career-high numbers except for rebounds.
The 5-foot-8 guard is expected to play behind Caitlin Clark or Kelsey Mitchell next season.
Steph White Happy With Fever Backcourt “Versatility” With Caitlin Clark, Tysha Harris and Raven Johnson
Fever coach Steph White wanted to add perimeter help for Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell in the offseason. GM Amber Cox obliged her by adding veteran guard Tysha Harris in free agency before drafting Raven Johnson.
White, after the 2026 WNBA draft, responded when asked about the Fever’s retooled backcourt (via Chloe Peterson):
“I think it gives us some versatility. Thankfully, having a couple of different guards gives us the ability to allow Kelsey (Mitchell) to rest a little bit, too.”
White emphasized Caitlin Clark and Tysha Harris’ abilities to play on and off the ball. The coach added that having Johnson in the mix gives the team versatility, particularly on the defensive end.
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