Grace Berger on joining Indiana Fever: 'Getting to live out my dream is unbelievable'

Grace Berger felt like she was in a dream. One week after being selected seventh overall by the Indiana Fever, the former IU guard was in downtown Indianapolis touring the team's facilities, taking photos and meeting team personnel. The Louisville native has been the guest of honor this week. The Fever's Twitter timeline is littered with Grace Berger content while photos of her are displayed on all the video boards inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse, including the massive jumbotron, with a message welcoming her as the newest member of the Indiana Fever.

"I don't know if it'll ever feel super real," Berger said Tuesday. "Just getting to live out my dream is unbelievable."

Berger grew up going to Fever games, drawing inspiration from Tamika Catchings, Katie Douglas and Briann January. When she got home, she would have her dad rebound for her in the driveway as she modeled moves learned from watching those players earlier in the day.

Asked about her earliest Fever-related memory, Berger recalled being selected to visit the Fever locker room as a 7-year-old and high-five the players as they ran onto the court. "I was in disbelief," she laughed. "I thought everyone was super tall and I was like, 'Gosh, I can never play with these girls.'"

Sixteen years later, Berger is on the court at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, standing underneath the banners honoring Catchings and the Fever's 2012 WNBA Championship, as she meets with reporters for the first time as a member of the team.

"It's a full-circle moment for me," Berger said. "(This is) really special."

More: Grace Berger grew up a Fever fan. Now, she wants to restore the franchise to what it was.

The past month has been a whirlwind for Berger.

After taking a couple days off following the Hoosiers' second-round loss to Miami, she began meeting with agents and prospective organizations, talking with coaches she'd been watching since she was 5 years old, their conversations ranging from Berger's game and ways she can improve, to her future in the WNBA and how to sustain her success. She did all this while working towards her final credit hours — "I'm ready to just be a professional athlete," she grinned — and preparing for training camp.

"It all happens really fast," Berger said. "I feel like my college career just ended. It was a quick turnaround."

A few weeks later, Berger was in New York, doing her best to enjoy the moment as she waited for her name to be called. "Being on that stage, on ESPN, with that coverage, and being drafted into the league — that was my dream since I was a little girl," she said.

Now focus shifts to the future and Berger's role in helping rebuild a Fever franchise that's coming off a five-win campaign. For her part, the former Hoosier already has a firm understanding of her strengths and what she needs to continue improving upon moving forward, specifically shooting a higher volume of 3-pointers while maintaining a high conversion rate, and improving defensively as she prepares to guard some of the best players in the world.

"It's just a super exciting organization to be a part of," Berger said of the Fever, citing the blend of young talent and veterans on the roster. "We have some really good vets, especially at the guard position, I'm super excited to just be a sponge to them, learn from them and model myself after them."

With a few weeks between the draft and start of training camp April 30, Berger has had a chance to relax a bit. She spent a few days back home with family before returning to Indiana, and said her mom was coming up Tuesday to visit — and bringing Walnut, Berger's dog. (He was mad about being boarded while the family was in New York, Berger said, but he forgave her and she's gotten him a Fever-themed leash and bandana, which she hopes will make up for it.)

It's been a welcome break, but after touring the facilities and getting in her first workout Monday, Berger is ready to start.

"It made me that much more eager to get started here, get to training camp, meet my teammates, then do whatever I can to bring a lot of wins to this organization in any way that I can," she said.

Follow Brian Haenchen on Twitter at @Brian_Haenchen.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana Fever: IU star Grace Berger joins team she grew up rooting for