In a move that’s got Fever fans buzzing, Stephanie White is back in the Indiana Fever driver’s seat, and this time, she’s not just here to coast. After a successful couple of seasons with the Connecticut Sun (translation: she’s still got it), White is returning to Indiana for her second stint as head coach—because once just wasn’t enough. And boy, does she have plans, big, sparkly, championship-winning plans.
At a Monday night press conference that could have been mistaken for a reunion tour, White was flanked by Fever president Kelly Krauskopf and general manager Amber Cox, making it clear she’s ready to bring the Fever back to the top. Spoiler: She’s aiming for a championship, and she’s not being subtle about it.
White, who first graced Indiana’s court as a player in the early 2000s, was also an assistant coach when the Fever won their first (emphasis on first) title in 2012. Now, in a world where the Fever have the No. 1 picks in back-to-back drafts and a new generation of basketball stars, she’s ready to get her hands on that second trophy.
“I am so incredibly honored, so humbled, so thankful, grateful and excited…” White began, sounding like she was accepting an Oscar. She then directed her attention to the Fever’s young stars: “You’ve got incredibly talented players right here in Caitlin and Aliyah… I’m glad I’m going to get to work with you guys, instead of having to think about how to stop you.” In other words, thank God I’m not on the other side anymore.
If there was any doubt about White’s plans, she made it clear that hanging another banner at Gainbridge Fieldhouse is the ultimate goal. “We’ll be back here celebrating like we did in 2012,” she declared, with the kind of confidence that suggests she’s already made room for another championship ring.
For anyone keeping track, this isn’t White’s first rodeo with the Fever. She was an assistant coach from 2011 to 2014, before getting promoted to head coach in 2015. Under her leadership, the team made a serious run at the title, only to lose in the WNBA Finals to the Minnesota Lynx. (We’re still not over it, but bygones.)
This time, though, White’s got a couple of secret weapons—Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston, the dynamic duo who were the No. 1 picks in the last two drafts. White has big plans for them, comparing them to none other than John Stockton and Karl Malone, a pairing that only defined an era in basketball. “You’ve got the bookends you want to build around,” White said, already envisioning how the two can tear through defenses like they were made of tissue paper.
Oh, and just in case anyone was thinking this is going to be easy, White pointed out that while Clark and Boston are already incredible, there’s “so much room for growth.” Translation: the rest of the league better buckle up, because these two aren’t even in their final form yet.
But it’s not all roses and trophies in Indiana. There are some free agency storm clouds on the horizon. Kelsey Mitchell, the team’s scoring machine, is entering free agency, and there’s some chatter about NaLyssa Smith’s future with the team. But if anyone can steer this ship through choppy waters, it’s White.
As White sets her sights on that elusive second championship, one thing is clear: The Fever are back. Whether they can hang another banner is still TBD, but one thing’s for sure—Stephanie White isn’t coming back just to play nice.
It’s banner or bust, folks. Buckle up.
