Indiana Fever name interim coach and adviser as assistant goes on maternity leave

The Indiana Fever announced temporary coaching adjustments after assistant coach Karima Christmas‑Kelly announced she is expecting her second child. Gary Kloppenburg has returned to the organization in an interim team‑advisor role, while former player Tully Bevilaqua has been promoted to interim assistant coach. Kloppenburg brings more than two decades of Fever experience, including a stint as interim head coach of the Seattle Storm that led the league in defensive rating and earned a 2020 championship. Bevilaqua, a six‑season veteran of the Fever, has been with the franchise in various capacities since 2017.

The changes come as the Fever enjoy an 11‑8 record and a playoff berth, and they head into a West Coast road stretch featuring games against the Aces, Sparks, Valkyries and Mercury. The reshuffle also occurs amid recent league attention on the team following an incident involving Alyssa Thomas, who reported online abuse after a controversial on‑court clash with Caitlin Clark.