Raven Johnson is officially teammates with guard Caitlin Clark, and the newly drafted Indiana Fever guard says she's most excited to share the floor with her former NCAA rival.
Indiana selected the South Carolina standout with the No. 10 overall pick in Monday night's 2026 WNBA Draft, as the Fever paired one of the draft class's top defensive guards with Clark and center Aliyah Boston.
Johnson's game gives Indiana needed versatility. She pressures the ball, pushes tempo, and can take on tough defensive assignments — skills that should complement Clark's ace scoring and playmaking.
Built-in familiarity in the locker room will likely help ease Johnson's transition to the pros. She'll reunite with former South Carolina teammate and mentor Boston in Indiana, while joining a Fever team with real title expectations.
But for Johnson, Clark presents the ultimate draw. She made that clear in an interview with Overtime after hearing her name called on Monday.
"She is a phenomenal player," Johnson said. "I mean, with the things she does, it's bar standard. She can shoot the ball, can lead a team, and they win. Like, she has a winning mentality. And I think that's the biggest thing."
That mindset is likely to contribute to Johnson's fit at Indiana, after the 23-year-old helped South Carolina capture two national titles while becoming a top perimeter defender.
Raven Johnson Shares History with Fever Teammate Caitlin Clark
However, the new teammates share a contentious history. Johnson was on the other side of a defining 2023 Final Four moment, when then-Hawkeye Clark waved her off an open 3-point shot during Iowa's upset win over South Carolina.
Now that rivalry must transform into a backcourt partnership, as Indiana tips off the 2026 WNBA season with real postseason expectations.
"[Johnson's] a competitor from one of the greatest programs from college basketball, and she's won at the highest level," said Fever COO and GM Amber Cox.
"We were just so pumped when she was available at No. 10. We know she's going to come in here and compete really hard and create great depth in our backcourt rotation."
