"I was trash": Fever’s Aerial Powers gets brutally honest about bouncing back after poor performance when it mattered most

Indiana Fever’s Aerial Powers was honest about her shortcomings in their first-round matchup against the Atlanta Dream. The team started the series on the wrong foot, dropping Game 1 with an 80-68 loss.

Game 1 was particularly tough for Powers, as she finished with just five points, shooting 1-for-4. She was much better over the next two games, making key plays for Indiana.

Powers finished Game 2 with three points and seven rebounds, making a serious impact on the glass. In the series-clinching Game 3, she recorded four points, an assist and a block. While her numbers won’t blow anyone away, her contributions were crucial as the Fever won Game 3 87-85.

On Friday, Powers posted a video on her YouTube channel, expressing how she bounced back despite her Game 1 struggles.

“You can’t be perfect all the time," Powers said (Timestamp: 7:32). "I was trash last game. I told y’all I was mad at myself. It’s about how you swallow that pill, you take accountability and you come back harder the next time.”

Aerial Powers highlighted key plays from the first round and praised the strong performances of her teammates, including Kelsey Mitchell, Aliyah Boston, Brianna Turner and Lexie Hull.

She joined the Indiana Fever in August on a hardship contract, looking to provide some relief to Stephanie White’s injury-plagued roster. Her solid contributions off the bench have been crucial in helping the team reach the WNBA semifinals.

Aerial Powers hypes up Indiana Fever star for being named MVP finalist

Aerial Powers expressed her happiness with Kelsey Mitchell being named an MVP finalist this season with a post on X:

“🗣️🗣️ say it louder for the people in the back!!!"

While hardship signings like Aerial Powers, Aari McDonald and Odyssey Sims have been key for the Fever this season, the team wouldn’t have made it this far without Mitchell. Indiana has relied on her throughout the 2025 season as Caitlin Clark has struggled with injuries.

Mitchell has more than answered her team’s calls, averaging 20.2 points and 3.4 assists during the regular season. Her stellar play has also carried over to the playoffs, as she is recording 23.3 points and 3.0 assists through the first three games.

About the author

Sameer is an esports and gaming journalist at Sportskeeda who covers a diverse range of topics. He is currently pursuing a BSc degree from BITS, but his love for video games pushed him to pursue a gaming journalism career. He relies on diligent research and fact-checking to deliver top-notch content. He has previously worked in the hospitality sector with the Oberoi Group.

Sameer’s gaming journey began with Rockstar Games’ GTA franchise, specifically
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. He strongly prefers multiplayer games, with FPS being his favorite genre, and has devoted 6K+ hours to CS:GO! However, he also dabbles in open-world, story-based games from time to time. Solo RPGs like Horizon Forbidden West hold a soft spot in his heart, and he would readily drop in it given a Jumanji-type scenario.

Sameer makes sure to follow Counter-Strike and Valorant esports tournaments, as he believes that watching a game being played at the highest level can be highly educational. He derives inspiration from Tarik's meteoric rise to become one of the biggest FPS streamers in the world following the release of Valorant.

Outside of work, you can find Sameer playing football or cheering for FC Barcelona. He also likes to read and write poetry.

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Edited by Sameer Khan