Q&A: Fever guard and IU alum Grace Berger on thumb injury, first WNBA season

Grace Berger is coming off quite the 2023.

Berger helped lead IU women’s basketball to a regular-season Big Ten title and a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. She was then selected by the Indiana Fever with the seventh overall pick in the WNBA draft. Berger made the AP All-Rookie team, averaging 4.2 points per game.

After a left thumb fracture in November caused Berger to cut short her time with Lointek Gernika Bizkaia in Spain, she’s back in Indiana preparing for her second WNBA season. On Sunday, Berger attended IU’s game against Illinois and received her Big Ten championship ring pregame.

IndyStar caught up with Berger on Thursday as she was serving food at Wheeler Mission Center for Women & Children as part of a team event with Anthem.

Q: What does it mean to you to serve at something like this and to help out and be a part of the community? 

A: I think first of all, anytime we can get back into the community and give back to the community that pours into us and gives so much to us as a franchise, obviously the Pacers and the Fever organization. They come out, they support us, so we couldn't do without them. And then I think, women obviously being in the WNBA is an important priority for myself and my teammates. So getting back to these wonderful women here in our community, anytime we get the chance to do that, I think it's really special and important for us.

Q: What has this experience been like serving food? 

A: It’s been great. Just kind of interacting with our corporate sponsors in Anthem, but also just the people in our community. The great women that come up and say they've been to games, say they know who I am, know who my teammates are, and are really excited about the WNBA and what we bring to the community, so it's been awesome.

Q: How's the rehab on your hand going right now?

A: It's good. (I) came home early from Spain, and then (I’m) just in the cast for a little bit more time, and then I'll be out ready to go here soon, training with the team.

Q: How much longer do you have in the cast?

A: Hopefully just a couple more days.

Q: How disappointed or how frustrating was it to suffer that injury going overseas?

A: Obviously, when you pack up and go overseas, it's a big commitment. So then to get hurt and come home early, nobody ever wants that. But, I'm grateful that I have an organization here that will take care of it, get me the medical care I need, and then will give me access to all the facilities that I need to get better while I'm here in the state. So, it was unfortunate that it ended over there, but I'm happy to be back here as well.

Q: What type of training and working out have you been able to do through the injury?

A: So it's not my first injury, so I've learned how to get kind of creative with it. Obviously, your thumbs hurt, but you still have access to your right hand. So you can still work on different things. And just like I said, be creative with it.

Q: What are the main parts of your game you've been looking to work on going into year two?

A: Being more vocal, being more confident, and I think that's kind of naturally going to come having a year under my belt. And then just continuing to be a better 3-point shooter. Consistently being able to knock that down, free up people like NaLyssa (Smith), free up people like Aliyah (Boston).

Q: What were some of the lessons you learned in your first year as a pro?

A: I think just how to be a pro on and off the court. Coming in early, taking care of your body, dealing with the stress of travel, and playing against the best players in the world every single night. So just how to take care of yourself, how to handle yourself. Come in, work out with coaches, get an ice bath, get in the weight room, get with the athletic training staff, all that. How to be a pro.

Q: You went back to IU for the first game since you graduated. What was that experience like getting a ring and being back around the game and being back around Bloomington?

A: Any time I can go back and just see how much they love women's basketball and how it's continuing to grow, I think that's the most special part for me. That I was able to kind of be a part of the legacy that sells out Assembly Hall. So hopefully they show no signs of slowing down, they keep packing Assembly Hall, and we keep being top 10 in the nation in attendance.

Q: Do you plan to keep going back for games throughout the winter?

A: Yeah. It's nice to be close, so I'll be down there again for sure.

Q: What do you think the importance is of going down there? I know (Indiana coach Teri Moren) talked about after the game just what it means for the alums to show up for the program. What do you think the importance of that is?

A: I think it's very important. Like I said, the alums — myself but also people that played here 20, 30, 40 years ago — all played a part in getting the program where we are now and are all invested in it. (They) all have a lot of love for the current players, the current program, coach Moren. So they do a great job of reaching out to us and keeping us involved, and then we all are able to kind of pour into the program that helped shape us as women.

Q: What was your reaction in early December when you saw the Fever were getting the first pick?

A: We were all very hopeful and confident that we’d get it, but there's obviously a little bit of nerves. So I was really nervous going into it. For some reason, I felt like I was getting drafted again or something like that. But, we got it. We're obviously excited. There's obviously a lot of really great options coming out next year, so we're looking forward to it.

Q: Where were you at when it was announced?

A: I was at the draft party. So I was sitting right next to (general manager Lin Dunn) and got kind of a front-row seat to see it.

Q: Do you have any personal or team goals for you or the Fever going into this 2024 season?

A: I think just make the playoffs. And then once we accomplish that, we're going to try to advance as far as we can. We feel like last year, we showed we belong with some of those top teams in the country. So now it's just about going out there, executing more, and growing up a little bit from last year and making the playoffs.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana Fever Q&A: Grace Berger on thumb injury, first WNBA season