Along with one of the WNBA’s most promising young rosters, the Indiana Fever are welcoming back Caitlin Clark as their coach. The front office fired Christie Sides on Sunday, leaving a temporary void that was filled by Stephanie White, who was chosen coach by the organization on Friday.
White will be leading the Fever for the second time. Before taking over as coach for two seasons, the Indiana native and former Purdue star was an assistant coach from 2011 to 2014. She played for the Indiana Fever for four years after joining the team’s first squad in 2000.
She most recently coached the Connecticut Sun, a seasoned club with a 55-25 record, to consecutive WNBA semifinal berths over the previous two seasons. In 2023, she was recognized as the league’s coach of the year.
The younger talent in the Fever’s locker room more than makes up for the lack of experience: White will be in charge of a team that includes Clark, who was just crowned the league’s rookie of the year, and Aliyah Boston, the two most recent No. 1 choices. White will have to manage the huge expectations around the WNBA’s most watched team while also continuing to improve the skills of her young players.
This season, the team led the league in attendance with an average of over 17,000 supporters per game, while its television broadcasts consistently attracted over a million people. It finished 20-20 last season to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2016 and hasn’t won a title since 2012.
In a statement, Fever President of Basketball Operations Kelly Krauskopf said, “I am excited to welcome Stephanie back to the franchise as we enter this new era of Fever basketball.” As a former player and a member of our championship coaching staff, Stephanie is a vital component of our team, so I am well acquainted with her exceptional basketball intelligence and leadership style. I have no doubt that no one is more qualified to guide our team of players to the next level or has a deeper understanding of our culture.
Six coaching vacancies remain in the league as a result of White’s employment; between September 24 and Sunday, the coaches of Atlanta, Chicago, Connecticut, Washington, Dallas, and Los Angeles all sever their affiliations. On Monday, White and the Sun parted ways amicably. The WNBA’s recent surge in popularity and worth is partly to blame for the overabundance of openings; more attention makes winning a championship or even being a significant club more valuable than ever, which increases the pressure to succeed. Additionally, franchisees have a greater chance to recoup their recent expenditures in items like practice facilities and travel costs.
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