The Indiana Fever signed 6-foot-3 forward Grace VanSlooten to a rest-of-season contract on Friday afternoon. The move filled an open roster spot the team created when it waived guard Shatori Walker-Kimbrough on Thursday.
VanSlooten, the No. 39 pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft, arrives after a brief stint with the Seattle Storm. She appeared in four games for Seattle before being waived on May 18, averaging 4.3 points and 1.5 rebounds per game in those appearances.
At Michigan State, VanSlooten produced far bigger numbers. She averaged 15.1 points and 6.8 rebounds per game as a senior and is a two-time All-Big Ten honoree. The Fever said VanSlooten will give the team additional depth in the frontcourt.
The timing of the signing matters to Indiana now. The Fever had an open roster spot entering Friday, and the club has faced early-season frontcourt injury issues. Monique Billings missed the season opener with an ankle injury before returning on May 13. Aliyah Boston missed Indiana's game against Seattle on May 17 with a lower leg injury and returned on May 20.
Those interruptions in availability have left the Fever leaning on a smaller rotation at times. The VanSlooten addition gives Indiana a 6-foot-3 option who can be deployed while starters and primary backups manage minutes and recoveries. With a compact calendar and multiple recent games, the fever schedule leaves little margin for error in frontcourt minutes.
The obvious tension in the move is the leap from college star to professional reserve. VanSlooten’s Michigan State résumé is substantial: sustained scoring, rebounding and conference recognition. Her WNBA sample is brief and modest — four games and averages of 4.3 points and 1.5 rebounds — and she was waived by Seattle on May 18.
That contrast raises the question Indiana must answer on the court: can VanSlooten translate her college production into consistent WNBA contribution under the constraints of a limited window? The Fever’s statement that she will add depth frames the signing as both a practical roster fix and an audition. VanSlooten arrives with a short resume of professional minutes and a clear opportunity to expand them.
For VanSlooten, the signing is a second chance to secure a role at the next level. For Indiana, it is a pragmatic response to immediate needs — a 6-foot-3 forward who offers size and college-proven scoring while the team navigates early-season availability issues with Billings and Boston. How much she plays, and whether those minutes translate into a longer-term place on the roster, will be determined in the coming weeks.
