There is a lot of excitement surrounding Indiana Fever rookie Raven Johnson. The organization made a big decision by using their 10th overall pick in the WNBA Draft on the former South Carolina star. She is now facing a lot of pressure heading into her rookie season.
Fever coach Stephanie White was delighted when the team scooped up Johnson in the first round of the draft. She was on the phone with the reigning SEC Defensive Player of the Year immediately after the Fever drafted her, and White was clearly excited with the team’s latest recruit.
On Tuesday at training camp, White had more praise for her rookie.
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert (right) poses for photos with Raven Johnson who was selected tenth overall by the Indiana Fever during the 2026 WNBA Draft.Brad Penner-Imagn Images
White had nothing but good things to say about Johnson, particularly with what she brings to the table on the defensive end.
“Well, I mean, certainly what we knew is that she’s a bear on the defensive end of the floor,” White said of Johnson. “You know, she’s got great active hands. You know, she doesn’t seem to get in mismatched situations because of her activity level on the defensive end.
“Her arms are like forever long. And she’s, you know, just working her way into figuring out the playbook. She’s a high-level communicator, so she does a really good job of communicating, especially with us on the sideline asking questions.
“She wants to know what she needs to do to continue to get better, and I think that that’s a great start.”
Johnson caught wind of her coach’s comments. The 5-foot-8 guard shared the video on her Instagram stories, along with a subtle reaction.
“❤️🤞🏾” Johnson captioned her post.
Johnson clearly appreciates the confidence White has in her. The rookie will now have to prove why White is so high on her and why the Fever used their first-round pick on her.
Johnson won two national championships with the Gamecocks in college. As a senior, the AP All-American guard averaged 9.9 points, 4.0 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.0 triples per game.
Related: Fever Facing Backlash After Unexpected Raven Johnson Move
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Apr 21, 2026, where it first appeared in the WNBA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.