It’s official: Rick Carlisle isn’t just an Indiana Fever fan. He’s a fan of the WNBA game in general.

The Indiana Pacers coach — shortly before his team was to play in Game 5 of the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday night — was asked to share his thoughts about how the WNBA is getting attention at this time of year.

Carlisle didn’t hesitate to tout how he thinks the WNBA is a great basketball product, in just the latest reminder than the W has some big fans all over the NBA.

“I’ve become a big follower of the WNBA,” Carlisle said. “I have close relationships with some other head coaches in the W, along with (Fever coach) Stephanie White. I watched almost every Fever game last year.”

The Fever are a huge draw nationally, and obviously in Indianapolis as well, because of the Caitlin Clark phenomenon. The Pacers make no secret of how they are Fever fans, and vice versa.

It’s also been quite common for years to see big NBA names — LeBron James, Chris Paul, Bam Adebayo, Damian Lillard and many others — showing up at WNBA games.

Russell Westbrook and his Honor The Gift label helped style and design what Georgia Amoore wore to this year’s WNBA draft, when she got picked sixth overall by Washington.

Carlisle said he understands why NBA coaches and players are drawn to the WNBA — and added that the NBA can learn plenty from how some in the WNBA play the game.

“There are things that can be learned by NBA staffs and players watching the W because the dynamics of their game are a little different,” Carlisle said. “The footwork elements of it are very, very high level.”

Magic exec talks trade to get bane

Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman said Monday the process to trade guards Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony and multiple future first-round picks to acquire Desmond Bane from the Grizzlies “wasn’t a quick hitter.”

“We valued him very highly for a while,” Weltman said of Bane. “There are few guys in the league that if they become available, you’re going to be aggressive.”

Weltman said Bane “checks every box” to help the team take the next step after back-to-back first-round exits in the playoffs.

Bane is one of just seven players to average at least 20 points and five assists per game while shooting above 39% on 3-pointers over the last three seasons, according to Stathead.com.

During 69 games this past year, the 6-foot-5 guard averaged 19.2 points, 6.1 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.2 steals while shooting 39.2% from 3-point range on 6.1 attempts. Meanwhile, Orlando finished with a bottom-five offensive rating (108.9).

Orlando sent Memphis, in addition to Caldwell-Pope and Anthony, the No. 16 pick in the 2025 draft, a first-round pick in 2026 (which includes swap rights from either Phoenix or Washington), a first-round pick in 2028, the swap rights to a first-round draft pick in 2029 (top two protected) and a first-round draft pick in 2030.