Can the Indiana Fever repeat as WNBA champions in 2013?

It seems way premature to even ask this question, but since David Woods of the Indianapolis Star put it out there let's entertain it: can the 2013 Indiana Fever become the first team in a decade to repeat as WNBA champions after convincingly beating the Minnesota Lynx in the 2012 WNBA Finals?

As the Indiana Fever's noon victory parade travels from Monument Circle to Bankers Life Fieldhouse Tuesday, someone inevitably will ask: What about a repeat?

The Fever might be talented enough to repeat as WNBA champions in 2013...If Catchings and Douglas, both 33, come back healthy in 2013, the Fever could be formidable. The rest of their core is young; Briann January (25), Larkins (26), Shavonte Zellous (26), Phillips (27), Jessica Davenport (27) and Pohlen (23).

January is evolving into an elite point guard, and Larkins didn't start until late in the season. They can only improve.

Of course, there are a number of mitigating factors in thinking about the Fever's repeat title chances: Will the Lynx improve after falling short this season? Just how good will the Phoenix Mercury be after adding the #1 pick (presumably Baylor Lady Bears center Brittney Griner)? And while acknowledging Woods' point that the Western Conference will likely be better than the Eastern Conference, how good will the Chicago Sky be after adding the #2 pick to their roster?

Can the Fever really get back to clicking on absolutely all cylinders the way they were in this year's Finals?

Hard to say with the long offseason still ahead of us, but interesting for basketball junkies to ponder nonetheless.