Stephanie White, Caitlin Clark, and Christie Sides—these three names have been all over the place lately. Sure, with Christie Sides fired and rumors swirling around Stephanie White returning to Indiana Fever as the new head coach, the spotlight is on them. But there’s one more thing! An uncanny relation that stretched way back, even three years before Caitlin Clark was born.

All these fiery athletes rocked jersey 22. White wore it back in her Purdue days, Sides in her time at Louisiana Tech, and now Caitlin Clark carries the legacy in the WNBA. Recently, a picture of Sides defending White during the 1999 Final Four has been going viral.

Purdue took down Louisiana Tech in a 77-63 showdown, securing their path to a national championship win. Connecticut Sun ex-coach scored 17 points, while Fever ex-HC held her own on the court against one of the best but fell short. Now, with all the coaching drama, fans are loving the parallel. Even NBA podcaster Trysta Krick joked, “No. 22 Stephanie White driving on No. 22 Christie Sides in 1999… winner gets to coach No. 22 Caitlin Clark.” It all started after Indiana Fever’s recent season, their first playoff appearance in eight years ended.

Both franchises, Indiana Fever and Connecticut Sun, officially announced their disunion with their coaches. Now, with talks of Fever hiring their veteran player, multiple speculations are there. Meanwhile, Annie Costabile of the Chicago Sun-Times hinted that the Fever was eyeing the 2012 WNBA Champion. Hence, they terminated Sides.

“Once you have an idea that you have a shot at Stephanie White, then it completely changes your dynamic,” she said. But we never know! White herself hasn’t denied her Indiana ties and has always embraced them. Speaking of the franchise entering playoffs, she expressed, “I was born and raised in Indiana and have a lot of pride in Indiana basketball.” 

Yet Sides is winning the Internet because of how gracefully she took it. “Leave it better than you found it,” she wrote on social media. Moreover, there’s another similarity as they are both in awe of CC.

White and Sides rally behind Caitlin Clark

Stephanie White and Christie Sides see an ‘it’ factor in the 2024 Rookie of the Year. And well, she has given every reason to. Being the team’s top scorer, clinching ROTY, securing a spot in All-WNBA First Team- the first one since Diana Taurasi, recording a triple-double not just once but twice and many more.

via Imago

Sides, in an interview about Fever star, praised her competitive fire, saying, “When you think about 25 years of Fever basketball and the history of the league, for her to be the only rookie to do that, I think the numbers just speak for themselves.”

You know, when you talk about greats in this game, the Michael Jordans and the Kobe Bryants and the Steph Currys, they are putting her in that category. The Diana Taurasi, she has that level of competitiveness in her,” she added.

White, on the other hand, has backed Clark from day one. After a rough WNBA start, she defended the newbie, reminding everyone, “I’m looking at all these things that all these people are talking about with Caitlin Clark. I’m like, “Guys, chill out. She’s going to be fine,’” she said.

“It’s two games in, are you kidding me? She’s a student of the game. She got better every year [in college]… It takes time.” So, will Indiana go all-in with White or try a different route? Whatever happens, they both got their fellow #22s back, and the legacy of the jersey number will live on.