Basketball
30 July, 2025
Bibby rebounds to new WNBA club
Five days after featuring in the Australian Opals' gold-medal win at the 2025 Asia Cup in China, Chloe Bibby was last week recalled to the WNBA.
Bibby's return to the world's premier women's basketball league was announced late on Friday night Wimmera time.
The former Golden State Valkyrie joined Indiana Fever on a seven-day contract as the club rallied in the face of ongoing injuries to one of its regular stars, Caitlin Clark.
Playing her first game in Fever colours on Sunday afternoon, Bibby contributed eight points, two rebounds and a block to her new side's final tally during her 11 minutes on the court.
In what was touted as a crucial game for Indiana on the road, the team from Indianapolis recorded a solid triumph over Chicago Sky in Chicago, 93-78.
Indiana now sit sixth in the overall league standings with 14 victories and 12 defeats, and third in the eastern conference behind New York and Atlanta.
Under the headline "Ex-Valkyries Player Is Trending After First Game With Indiana Fever", US website Sports Illustrated reported on Sunday night that Bibby "shined" against the Sky.
Earlier this year Bibby spent two periods with the Valkyries in San Francisco, California.
She played two pre-season games during the US spring but was waived before the Valkyries kicked off their inaugural season in the WNBA.
However, she was called back to the stadium known as Ballhalla while several members of Golden State's starting lineup were absent in June representing their home countries in the EuroBasket tournament.
In the span of a week Bibby played five home games for the Valkyries before once more being released with the arrival home of her European club mates, but not before distinguishing herself as a power forward to watch.
Fans speculating in online forums at the time linked Bibby with three potential new homes in the event she chose to return to the WNBA at the Asia Cup's conclusion, including Indiana.
"Chloe Bibby would fit well on the (Indiana) Fever," one commentator wrote.
Coincidentally, when Bibby made her WNBA debut on for the Valkyries on June 19, shooting a personal WNBA-high 12 points, it was against the Fever.
In a podcast on Friday, Fever analyst Ben Daniel said of Bibby "we need somebody off the bench who can come in with some size and rain threes".
"She shoots over 40 per cent from the field, she shoots over 40 per cent from the three," Daniel said.
Fever's next matchup will be on Thursday local time against Phoenix Mercury in Arizona.
Whether Bibby will be offered a second contract to enable her to remain with Indiana for their home games against Dallas Wings and Seattle Storm this coming Saturday and Sunday, respectively, has not yet been announced.
