One of the first non-players to unofficially welcome Caitlin Clark to the WNBA was none other than Stephanie White—who could soon be doing more than just welcoming.
As Clark prepared to make her rookie debut for the Indiana Fever against the Connecticut Sun, it wasn’t some rookie jitters or her game-day playlist that was on her mind. Instead, it was Stephanie White. Yes, that Stephanie White—the basketball legend, former Purdue star, and, most importantly, Fever icon.
But wait, White was coaching the other team. So, naturally, Clark made it a point to greet the opponent’s coach before the regular season opener because, well, if you’re going to face the person who’s been narrating your college hoops career on ESPN, you might as well say “hey” before you drop buckets, right?
Stephanie White—who’s now rumored to be eyeing the head coaching job for the Fever—has been a vocal supporter of Clark. In fact, she’s practically the president of the “Let’s Chill About Caitlin” club. White has spent so much time defending Clark that it’s almost like she’s auditioning to be her personal PR agent. “Chill out, people,” White has said about Clark, as though Clark is some sort of unstoppable basketball machine (spoiler: she might be).
But the real plot twist? Just as Indiana Fever fans were processing the shock of head coach Christie Sides being fired on Sunday, White’s name instantly soared to the top of the “Make It Happen” list. And why not? White’s résumé screams perfect fit. She’s an Indiana native, a former Fever player and coach, an NCAA champ at Purdue, and, oh, just happened to leave her coaching gig with the Sun. Timing is everything, folks.
Before that May 14 opener, when Clark was inevitably asked about White, she couldn’t help but sing her praises. “She’s obviously called a lot of my games throughout college,” Clark said, adding that White has a “really great basketball mind.” (Cue the inevitable “basketball minds think alike” joke.)
“She’s done a great job calling college games,” Clark continued, as if everyone didn’t already know White’s one of the best to ever do it. “It’s been great to see her on NBA games too.” (Because, you know, coaching the WNBA and analyzing NBA games is the natural next step for trailblazers.)
But Clark didn’t stop there. “I think she’s somebody who’s been supportive of my game, and it’s been fun to talk to her at shootarounds throughout my college career.”
The best part? Clark couldn’t contain her excitement about going up against White in their first WNBA matchup. “Now I get to play against her, so that’s going to be a lot of fun for the both of us.” You’ve got to love the enthusiasm.
But here’s the kicker: What if Clark won’t be playing against White for much longer? What if White’s next move is right back to the Fever bench, but this time as head coach? Imagine the duo—Clark on the court, White on the sidelines—an unstoppable force meeting an unmovable object.
So, while the basketball world waits to see if White returns to her Fever roots, Clark can sit back and appreciate the fact that, for now, she’s just living out the most epic full-circle moment any rookie could ask for.