Stephanie White had a lot 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 teach stars Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston — and sees limitless potential for what the pairing back-to-back Rookies of the Yr can accomplish long-term.

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

“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 up to now. Boston, the No. 1 decide 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 decide 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 important 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 mentioned that preliminary run will show beneficial long-term.

“There’s by no means an alternative to expertise,” she mentioned. “It is a younger roster who gained beneficial expertise all through the course of this season. Having playoff expertise is so necessary. You simply by no means know what you don’t know.”

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

“You’ve bought extremely proficient gamers proper right here in Caitlin and Aliyah and Lexi — a group that was extremely enjoyable to observe, very robust to game-plan in opposition to,” White mentioned, gesturing to the entrance row. “So I’m glad I’m going to have the ability to work with you guys, work with you women, as an alternative of getting to consider how you can cease you.”

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

To be able to encompass and elevate the Fever’s returners, White mentioned the precedence could be to establish position gamers who’re pleased to play their roles round Clark, Boston, and Hull.

“Constructing high quality depth goes to be necessary — when you will have a core three like we now have, surrounding them with gamers who’re going to fill the roles, definitely, in the beginning, and who’re going to embrace their roles secondly, and who give us the most effective alternative for fulfillment by complementing what they do actually, very well,” White mentioned.

An Indiana Fever homecoming for Stephanie White

For Stephanie White, it’s well-chronicled that accepting the Indiana Fever head teaching was a return dwelling. 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 at present, however I feel for all of those folks, all these acquainted faces within the constructing at present, that is coming dwelling for me,” White mentioned. “It has been such an expertise with this franchise for practically 25 years — from Day 1. The chance to return dwelling and to steer this younger, thrilling proficient group.”

Kelly Krauskopf, who grew to become the Fever’s president in October, mentioned 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 doable.

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

However, Krauskopf was had a long-standing relationship with White, and had some preliminary conversations along with her as soon as she realized the adorned coach may be obtainable and occupied with a return.

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

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

“The timeline was accelerated, to be sincere,” Krauskopf mentioned. “There was a possibility to try to take expertise, take a look at how can we maximize this group of younger gamers, the assets we now have to achieve success, and transfer that ahead. We had decided that we had been going to maneuver on and that was robust 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 seems like the celebrities simply completely aligned,” White mentioned. “So, whereas at occasions there’s nervousness via transition, there simply hasn’t been for me. It’s been very calming, it feels excellent. This franchise has been part of my DNA from Day One, and can all the time be. So, when issues are supposed to be, it feels actually good.”

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

“It is a franchise that for every second within the league’s historical past, we’ve all the time had what we’ve wanted to succeed,” White mentioned. “And because the needle strikes, and as issues modified, and as they’ve continued to vary so quickly, we’ve saved up with that.”

A WNBA championship is the final word objective

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 final word objective: a championship.

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

She feels assured this Fever group will get it accomplished.

“The longer term is so vibrant, and our final objective is to hold one other banner within the Fieldhouse,” White mentioned. “And our final objective is to return again right here after we win that championship and rejoice once more like we did in 2012.”