Stephanie White’s comments on Caitlin Clark prove she was right all along

Stephanie White has been linked with the Indiana Fever head coach job and the former Connecticut Sun boss has already made her feelings clear on superstar Caitlin Clark

Stephanie White previously lauded Caitlin Clark during her WNBA rookie season – and the former Connecticut Sun head coach could soon potentially join her on the Indiana Fever.

On Sunday, the Fever announced that they had parted ways with head coach Christie Sides, despite the fact that they reached the WNBA playoffs for the first time in six years. One day later, the Sun – who ousted Indiana in the first round of the postseason – revealed that they were also letting go of their head coach, White.

“We want to thank Stephanie for her time in Connecticut and her commitment to our organization over the past two seasons,” Sun president Jen Rizzotti said in an official news release. “We wish her the best in her future endeavors.”

Over the last two seasons under White, The Sun posted a combined 55-25 record en route to losing in back-to-back playoff semifinals. Prior to joining Connecticut, the 47-year-old coached at Vanderbilt for five seasons.

On the heels of her surprise firing, many across the WNBA believe White would be a strong fit for the Fever’s open head coach position. The 2023 WNBA Coach of the Year has past ties to the franchise and routinely expressed support for Clark during her first year in the league.

White was not only brought up in Indiana, where she attended Seeger High School and Purdue University, but she also spent four years with the Fever as a player in the WNBA from 2000 to 2004.

Stephanie White heaped praise onto Caitlin Clark early on in her rookie season ( 
Image:
Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

After her playing career, White served as an assistant coach with the Fever for three years before being promoted to head coach in 2015. She guided Indiana to their second WNBA Finals appearance in her first year at the helm, which they lost to the Minnesota Lynx.

White may have unintentionally endeared herself to many Clark fans after she defended the 22-year-old when she faced criticism following a slow start to her rookie season.

“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,'” White 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.”

The Sun coach kept a close watch on Clark during the playoffs when her team swept the Fever in the first round. Despite her team’s dominating performances, she still had words of praise for the point guard.

“Everybody on the floor understands how, when and where Caitlin Clark can get them the ball. And so they get there,” White said. “Kelsey Mitchell’s obviously playing at another level now, and so it gives you another player on the floor that you have to be mindful of, on and off ball in isolation and in two-man.”

It remains to be seen if White would return to Indiana for a second stint with the Fever. When recently asked about her future, she gave a vague response, stating: “My priority is my family right now. Honestly, just being here for my family, getting through this, that’s my priority.”