It now looks like a distant reminiscence — however in 2022, the Indiana Fever had gained simply 5 common season video games. Simply two years later, the Fever are coming off of back-to-back seasons with led by No. 1 picks, their first postseason look in seven years, and all of the hope and momentum on the earth.
Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston, each named Rookie of the Yr of their respective seasons, have fashioned a younger core as formidable as any within the WNBA. Now, in addition they have one of many WNBA’s most highly-regarded coaches on the helm: Stephanie White.
White joins the Fever after two seasons as head coach of the Connecticut Solar, and after an illustrious enjoying and training profession in Indiana. White, who grew up in West Lebanon, Indiana, performed for the Fever from 2000 to 2004, and was an assistant coach from 2011 to 2014.
Getting the chance to return to her dwelling state was a possibility White significantly appreciated.
“Before everything, it’s dwelling,” White mentioned to ESPN’s Malika Andrews when requested what drew her to the place. “It is a franchise, the Indiana Fever, Indiana Pacers, that’s in my DNA. Grew up in Indiana, performed in Indiana, performed with the franchise, in fact, was part of the franchise once we gained the WNBA championship.”
White additionally mentioned that this specific second in Fever basketball — led by a promising younger core headed by Clark and Boston — made the pinnacle coach place significantly interesting.
“You consider a generational participant in Caitlin Clark, back-to-back rookies of the yr with Aliyah Boston,” White mentioned on NBA At the moment. “Kelsey Mitchell, I believe, had the very best yr of her profession. It’s simply an thrilling roster — what an impressive second we have now in girls’s basketball proper now. To come back again, be part of it in my dwelling state, with my dwelling franchise, it’s only a distinctive alternative and I’m so grateful and grateful for it.”
White confirmed she spoke to Clark final night time, and described their dialog as crammed with “general pleasure.”
“I’ve been watching Caitlin play since she was an eighth grader, once I was teaching on the faculty degree and masking her video games in faculty,” White mentioned.
Christie Sides, who was head coach of the Fever for 2 seasons, was let go by the group on Sunday. Fever guard Lexie Hull, talking on The Ringer WNBA Present, expressed her disappointment for Sides whereas sharing her pleasure for what lay forward.
“I’m actually unhappy for Christie; I believe she’s an awesome individual and an awesome chief,” Hull mentioned. “I’m excited to see what she does sooner or later, and enthusiastic about the place our new coach will take us.”
Clark appeared to precise her pleasure for White’s hiring, commenting on the Fever’s Instagram publish asserting the choice, in addition to sharing the announcement to her Instagram story.
In a very full-circle second, Stephanie White — like Caitlin Clark — donned #22 as a participant on the Fever. The Fever shared a side-by-side image on social media highlighting how each guards fittingly wore the identical uniform.
“It’s very cool, I noticed after they posted that right this moment, that’s distinctive, definitely,” White mentioned. “She’s rather a lot higher #22, she places the ball within the gap extra, however I simply can’t wait.”
White has been part of a variety of profitable, and her Connecticut Solar made the WNBA semi-finals each seasons she was head coach. Her Solar beat Clark’s Fever 2-0 within the first spherical of the 2024 playoffs, however with Boston and Clark having one yr of collective expertise underneath their belt, the Fever may very well be due for one more enchancment.
It feels like Stephanie White thinks Caitlin Clark is prepared.
“She’s a pupil of the sport, she loves the sport of basketball, she has been so nice with how she’s dealt with all the consideration,” White mentioned. “She simply desires to play, she simply desires to win. I’m trying ahead to teaching gamers like that, this younger franchise, this younger staff.”
