Caitlin Clark is a strong supporter of Stephanie White, who is the leading candidate to become the next head coach of the Indiana Fever. The reigning WNBA Rookie of the Year has expressed admiration for White, calling her a “great basketball mind” and highlighting her deep understanding of the game. As the Fever continue their search for a new coach, it seems increasingly likely that White will be chosen to replace Christie Sides.
Although the move is not yet official, it appears that a unique WNBA reunion is on the horizon. White, who is 47 years old, spent the last two seasons with the Connecticut Sun before both sides “parted ways” earlier this week.
The timing of her departure from the Sun has fueled speculation that she is preparing to take on a new coaching role, and reports indicate that she has been in talks with both the Fever and the Chicago Sky about their respective head coaching vacancies.
The opportunity to coach a young star like Aliyah Boston in Indiana seems to be the most compelling of those options, especially given her history with the Fever and the current excitement surrounding the team.
Stephanie White has deep-rooted ties to the Indiana Fever, having played five seasons for the team in the early 2000s. She also served as the Fever’s head coach in 2015 and 2016, leading the organization to the WNBA Finals in her first season at the helm.
The team’s president of basketball and business operations, Kelly Krauskopf, was the one who originally hired White nearly a decade ago, and it seems that history is about to repeat itself. With White’s extensive experience and her previous success with the franchise, she appears to be a natural choice to guide the Fever into their next chapter.
Barring any unexpected developments, it seems likely that Stephanie White will be named the next head coach of the Indiana Fever in the coming days. Caitlin Clark, the Fever’s brightest young star, is fully on board with that move.
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Although Clark has not made any official comments about the coaching search, it is well-known that she has a great deal of respect for White.
During her college career at Iowa, Clark often crossed paths with White, who was working as a broadcaster and calling many of Clark’s games. The familiarity between the two has fostered a mutual respect, and Clark has previously spoken highly of White’s insights and support.
Back in May, when Clark made her WNBA debut against White’s Connecticut Sun, she offered glowing praise for the coach. “She’s obviously called a lot of my games all throughout college,” Clark said. “I just think she has a really great basketball mind. I think she’s done a great job of calling college games. It’s been great seeing her on NBA games. I think what she’s done is just — she’s obviously been a trailblazer, honestly. I think she’s always been somebody that’s been supportive of my game. It’s been fun to talk to her at shootarounds throughout my college career, and (I’ve) always felt really supported.”
Clark’s words illustrate the strong impression White has made on her, both as a coach and as an advocate for her success.
It’s clear that Caitlin Clark would welcome the chance to work with Stephanie White as her head coach. Of course, the Fever’s front office will ultimately make the decision based on what they believe is best for the team, but the endorsement of the franchise’s star player certainly adds a positive layer to White’s candidacy.
For a team that is building around young talent like Clark and Aliyah Boston, having a coach who already has the respect of key players could make a significant difference in setting a positive tone for the future.
The Fever are currently in a critical phase of rebuilding, and choosing the right head coach is a pivotal part of that process.
With White’s experience, ties to the organization, and positive relationship with players like Caitlin Clark, it seems that she could be the perfect fit to help lead Indiana back to contention.
While nothing is set in stone just yet, all signs point to Stephanie White becoming the next head coach of the Indiana Fever—and Caitlin Clark seems ready for that new chapter.