Stephanie White had plenty of reward for Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston in her first press convention

Stephanie White made one factor clear in her introductory presser as the brand new head coach of the Indiana Fever: she’s thrilled by the chance to educate stars Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston — and sees limitless potential for what the pairing back-to-back Rookies of the 12 months can accomplish long-term.

“These two are the very best — there’s so many issues that they do nicely proper now… however there’s a lot room for progress,” White stated.

“When you consider the nice level guards and put up gamers that our recreation — not simply our league — however our recreation has seen, they’re going to go down as the best.”

It’s a daring declare, but it surely’s one backed up by each All-Star’s on-court manufacturing to date. Boston, the No. 1 choose in 2023, has averaged 14.2 level on 55.2% taking pictures in two seasons, grabbing 8.9 rebounds per recreation and elevating her play within the postseason.

Clark, the No. 1 choose in 2024, loved a historic rookie marketing campaign, averaging 19.2 factors and a WNBA-record 8.4 assists per recreation. Clark’s record-setting marketing campaign ranks among the many most spectacular in league historical past.

Collectively — and alongside the crucial contributions of Kelsey Mitchell, Lexie Hull, and others — the Fever made the playoffs for the primary time since 2017. Although they fell to the Connecticut Solar within the first spherical of the playoffs, White stated that preliminary run will show useful long-term.

“There’s by no means an alternative choice to expertise,” she stated. “This can be a younger roster who gained useful expertise all through the course of this season. Having playoff expertise is so vital. You simply by no means know what you don’t know.”

Clark, Boston, and Hull have been all in attendance for the introductory press convention. It definitely wasn’t their first time assembly White — all three confronted her Solar workforce within the playoffs — however this time, the dynamic was vastly completely different.

“You’ve bought extremely gifted gamers proper right here in Caitlin and Aliyah and Lexi — a workforce that was extremely enjoyable to observe, very powerful to game-plan towards,” White stated, gesturing to the entrance row. “So I’m glad I’m going to have the ability to work with you guys, work with you girls, as an alternative of getting to consider the way to cease you.”

The Fever will grapple with quite a lot of questions heading into subsequent season, together with whether or not Mitchell might be again, and what different function gamers they may re-sign or recruit. Notably, White named Hull — who averaged 5.5 factors per recreation and shot 47.1% from three throughout the season — a core member of the workforce transferring ahead.

So as to encompass and elevate the Fever’s returners, White stated the precedence can be to determine function gamers who’re completely satisfied to play their roles round Clark, Boston, and Hull.

“Constructing high quality depth goes to be vital — when you’ve a core three like now we have, surrounding them with gamers who’re going to fill the roles, definitely, firstly, and who’re going to embrace their roles secondly, and who give us the very best alternative for achievement by complementing what they do actually, rather well,” White stated.

An Indiana Fever homecoming for Stephanie White

For Stephanie White, it’s well-chronicled that accepting the Indiana Fever head teaching was a return residence. White coached the Connecticut Solar for the previous two seasons, however has spent most of her basketball profession within the Hoosier state.

“It’s going to be actually exhausting for me to not get emotional right this moment, however I feel for all of those folks, all these acquainted faces within the constructing right this moment, that is coming residence for me,” White stated. “It has been such an expertise with this franchise for practically 25 years — from Day 1. The chance to come back residence and to steer this younger, thrilling gifted workforce.”

Kelly Krauskopf, who turned the Fever’s president in October, stated that the choice to let go of Christie Sides — who had coached the Fever for 2 seasons — was rooted within the need to win as quick as potential.

“My problem was: the place do we have to make enhancements? The place can we get higher? And the way can we expedite this course of?” Krauskopf stated. “As a result of, what I noticed within the two years of watching the place I sat, Christie Sides did a terrific job.”

However, Krauskopf was had a long-standing relationship with White, and had some preliminary conversations together with her as soon as she realized the embellished coach is likely to be obtainable and serious about a return.

“Once I had the chance to speak to her, it was like fortuitous — one thing that I simply couldn’t imagine the timing,” Krauskopf stated.

Sides was fired on October twenty seventh. The following day, White formally parted methods with the Solar.

“The timeline was accelerated, to be sincere,” Krauskopf stated. “There was a possibility to try to take expertise, have a look at how can we maximize this group of younger gamers, the assets now we have to achieve success, and transfer that ahead. We had decided that we have been going to maneuver on and that was powerful as a result of it doesn’t take away from something that Christie did and what that teaching employees did. And, to make use of her phrases, she left it higher than she discovered it.”

For White, the transition from head coach of the Solar to the Fever was fast. Only a few hours after she was formally introduced because the Indiana’s new head coach on Friday, she was calling a Cavaliers-Magic NBA recreation in her different job as an ESPN commentator.

“It appears like the celebs simply completely aligned,” White stated. “So, whereas at occasions there’s anxiousness via transition, there simply hasn’t been for me. It’s been very calming, it feels good. This franchise has been part of my DNA from Day One, and can at all times be. So, when issues are supposed to be, it feels actually good.”

White additionally praised how the Fever’s possession group has at all times invested within the group.

“This can be a franchise that for every second within the league’s historical past, we’ve at all times had what we’ve wanted to succeed,” White stated. “And because the needle strikes, and as issues modified, and as they’ve continued to alter so quickly, we’ve saved up with that.”

A WNBA championship is the last word purpose

Stephanie White has been round WNBA basketball lengthy sufficient to know that it’ll take time to place the items collectively and actualize the core’s potential. However, she additionally wasn’t shy about clearly figuring out the last word purpose: a championship.

“We have now seen on this league’s historical past how tough it’s to win a championship — the margin for error is small,” White stated. “Whenever you’re constructing groups, it’s not nearly getting the very best gamers, it’s about getting the very best complement of gamers who match collectively, who play nicely inside each other, who work to carry the very best out of each other.”

She feels assured this Fever group will get it executed.

“The long run is so vibrant, and our final purpose is to hold one other banner within the Fieldhouse,” White stated. “And our final purpose is to come back again right here after we win that championship and have a good time once more like we did in 2012.”