Stephanie White to coach Caitlin Clark, homecoming fever after Sun exit

On By Littum

Stephanie White returns home.

The Indiana Fever announced White as its next head coach Friday, days after she left the Sun after two seasons and a WNBA Finals appearance.

White, who was the 2023 WNBA Coach of the Year, is an Indiana native and former star guard at Purdue — and she was also a former player, assistant and head coach for the Fever.


Head coach Stephanie White of the Connecticut Sun looks on against the Minnesota Lynx during the first quarter of Game 5 of the semifinals during the WNBA Playoffs at Target Center on October 8, 2024 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Head coach Stephanie White of the Connecticut Sun looks on against the Minnesota Lynx during the first quarter of Game 5 of the semifinals during the WNBA Playoffs at Target Center on October 8, 2024 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Getty Images

She will now coach the Fever’s No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA draft, Caitlin Clark, who has become a global phenomenon.

In college basketball and later the WNBA, Clark has drawn crowd sizes on television and in arenas previously unheard of in women’s basketball.

She was the near-unanimous choice for this past season’s WNBA Rookie of the Year award.

“As we enter this new era of Fever basketball, I am thrilled to welcome Stephanie back to the franchise,” said Fever President of Basketball Operations Kelly Krauskopf. “Stephanie is part of the fabric of this franchise, both as a former player and as a member of our championship coaching staff, so I am quite familiar with her elite basketball IQ and leadership style. I am confident that there is no one who better understands our culture or is more equipped to lead our group of players to the next level.”


Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) holds the ball in the first half against the Connecticut Sun
Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) holds the ball in the first half against the Connecticut Sun. USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con

White coached the Suns to a best-of-three series first-round victory over the Fever in the 2024 playoffs.

She was on the Fever’s coaching staff in 2012 when they won the WNBA Championship.

“I am incredibly proud and honored to return home to Indiana and lead the Fever during such a defining moment in the history of this franchise, as well as during such an important time throughout women’s athletics,” White said. “This franchise has and always will be committed to winning, and I look forward to working every day to help deliver another WNBA title to the greatest basketball fans in the world.”

The Fever was 20-20 this past season, ranked sixth out of the 12 WNBA teams.

The Fever fired Christie Sides last week after two seasons with the team and one with Clark.

“Leave it better than you found it,” Sides wrote in a post on X in response to the dismissal by adding a peace emoji.