Indiana Fever coach announces joyful family news during WNBA break originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Indiana Fever received a joyful update from assistant coach Karima Christmas-Kelly during the WNBA’s FIBA World Cup break. Christmas-Kelly announced the birth of her baby Wednesday, sharing a photograph on Instagram in which she held the newborn while wearing a Fever sweatshirt.

“Kali 💜 Kelly Party of 4,” Christmas-Kelly wrote.

She has been away from the Fever on maternity leave. Her husband, fellow Indiana assistant coach Austin Kelly, has remained with the team and will have an important role during the extended break. The announcement adds a happy personal chapter to Christmas-Kelly’s long relationship with the franchise.

Karima Christmas-Kelly has deep ties to Indiana Fever

Christmas-Kelly spent 10 seasons in the WNBA after being selected in the second round of the 2011 draft. She played for Indiana from 2012 through 2014 and was part of the franchise’s first WNBA championship team in 2012. Christmas-Kelly later played for the Tulsa Shock, Dallas Wings and Minnesota Lynx before beginning her coaching career.

She returned to Indiana as an assistant coach in 2023 and remained on the staff after Stephanie White became head coach.

The Fever are operating with a different coaching structure during the league’s World Cup break. White is in Berlin as an assistant coach for Team USA, working with Indiana stars Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston. Christmas-Kelly remains away on maternity leave, leaving Austin Kelly and Briann January to oversee workouts and preparations in Indianapolis.

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Indiana has plenty to accomplish before returning to action. The Fever entered the break firmly in the playoff race after receiving outstanding play from Clark and Kelsey Mitchell. Mitchell averaged 28.9 points in August and was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Month, while Clark averaged 24.4 points and 9.4 assists during the same stretch.

The WNBA schedule resumes in the second half of September, giving the remaining Fever players an opportunity to recover physically and work on details before the final playoff push.

Christmas-Kelly’s eventual return will restore another important voice to White’s staff. For now, however, basketball can wait.

Her Fever family is preparing for the postseason. The Kelly family just welcomed its newest member.

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