The Indiana Fever obviously drafted Raven Johnson, a pick that didn’t make much sense at the time. Even now, with the benefit of hindsight, it still raises questions. That being said, Raven Johnson is going to be a serious player. A serious, serious player.
It’s confusing that they brought in Raven Johnson alongside Tyasha Harris. Maybe they’ll find a way to get an asset for Ty Harris because it’s hard to imagine them not playing her. But maybe they will. Maybe Ty won’t play and Raven becomes that backup point guard.
Maybe Raven becomes a small forward. Maybe she becomes a Marcus Smart-type player — guarding the ball and turning into that versatile glue player. But everything you’re seeing from Raven Johnson shows she’s constantly learning. She seems like she’s asking Caitlin Clark and Sophie Cunningham a hundred questions.
There’s a reason why Dawn Staley was so high on her.
Had Ty Harris not been signed, the Raven Johnson pick would have made a hundred times more sense. But it’s going to be unfortunate watching her not play much as a rookie because this is still the old WNBA mentality with a veteran point guard backing up Caitlin Clark.
And the funny part is that Ty Harris was genuinely one of the biggest steals in free agency. The Fever also don’t really have the salary flexibility to trade for another asset. Is there even a big making around 400k that fits?
This clip was hilarious too.
“HELL YEAH.”
“HELL YEAH.”
“The GOAT right there on the line.”
Raven calling Caitlin Clark the GOAT is madness.
And seeing Raven before practice with Sophie Cunningham tells you everything. Raven Johnson looks like a complete sponge. She’s trying to absorb every bit of information possible to become the best pro she can be. That’s exactly what you want from a player.
You just also want to see her play.
I was looking through possible salary matches for Ty Harris around the 400k range, trying to see if there’s a realistic trade. Maybe a one-for-one swap somewhere that could help the Fever. But there really aren’t many options.
Maybe something involving Aliyah Edwards if things don’t work out. Maybe two second-round picks plus Ty Harris. Maybe someone like Kiah Stokes if the Fever just want more size.
Because if Raven Johnson is as good as people believe she is, it’s hard to see where Ty Harris’ minutes come from. But Ty Harris is really good.
Some people think Ty Harris backs up Kelsey Mitchell, but then where does that leave players like Shatori Walker-Kimbrough? Do they move on from her and give those opportunities to Justine Pissott? Then maybe it all starts making sense.
Ty Harris could slide into the shooting guard role while Raven develops as the backup point guard, and Justine Pissott becomes a long-term asset.
But it genuinely feels like Raven Johnson is going to become a key part of the Indiana Fever. She’s clearly trying to learn as much as possible from her teammates, and that’s all you can ask for from a young player.
It’s also funny watching some hardcore South Carolina fans turn on Raven Johnson simply because she supports Caitlin Clark. The same thing happened with Aliyah Edwards when fans tried to create fake drama around Caitlin. But if that happens with Raven, there are millions of new fans ready to support her.
I really do think Raven will become a major asset for this team.
Maybe when it’s all said and done, the Fever use her in that Marcus Smart-type role. Maybe she becomes the player who brings the ball up, gets it over half court, and immediately gets it into Caitlin Clark’s hands.
Especially if Kelsey Mitchell eventually leaves, there’s a very real chance that becomes Raven’s role long-term.
She could play that “your turn, my turn” style with Caitlin Clark while acting as the pass-first point guard who mainly focuses on defense, ball movement, and spacing the floor.
And honestly, that’s the biggest thing I want to see from Raven Johnson this year — floor spacing.
Most of her minutes are probably going to come at the two rather than the one. Some minutes will come at point guard, but if she can prove she can consistently space the floor, there are going to be real minutes available for her.
The player who could really take a hit because of Raven Johnson is Lexie Hull.
Because if Raven shoots better than Lexie Hull, it becomes hard to figure out what Lexie brings. People will say Lexie is taller, but height alone doesn’t matter if the skill set overlaps.
That’s the big question for Raven Johnson heading into this season.
Can she shoot well enough to force the Indiana Fever to play her?
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