After a year filled with drama on and off the court, the Indiana Fever have begun their offseason on the heels of their first-round loss to the Las Vegas Aces in the WNBA playoffs.
The Fever had a historic offensive year, becoming the league’s highest-scoring team. That was thanks to guard Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell, who led the way, both in the top five in the league in points per game.
Another key reason for the team’s success was head coach Stephanie White, who kept the team focused on basketball throughout a tough season. White did face significant criticism from fans throughout the season for the team’s failure to advance, among other issues. Clark didn’t share that opinion.
Caitlin Clark Praises Fever HC Stephanie White
Clark held her end-of-season press conference before officially departing for the offseason. When asked about White, Clark praised her head coach.
“She’s competitive and she expects great things out of us. She has a fiery passion about her that I really, really admire, and I think I have a lot of that in myself too.”
“I think one of my most special memories of this year is getting to win a gold medal with her in Berlin. That’s not something anybody can ever take away from us and I think that’s something that’s just we’ll both probably, keep in our offices and have those memories together. I’m just really thankful for all the time that she’s given to this organization.”
“I think one of my most special memories of this year is getting to win
White coached the Fever in 2015 and 2016 before taking the Vanderbilt job. She returned to the Fever in 2025, where White has gone 52-36 in the last two years.
Clark finished the season averaging 22.3 points, 8.3 assists, 4 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game. She scored more regular-season points than any point guard in WNBA history. Clark has been selected to three All-Star teams in a row.
Caitlin Clark & Stephanie White Focus on Year 3 Together in Indiana
This Fever team has the makings of a great team, and has been over the last three years Clark has been here. White took them to the next level when she joined in 2025, but the lack of playoff success has been noticeable.
Entering the offseason, the Fever face a critical one, with Mitchell and Sophie Cunningham as free agents. Indiana has made it clear that Mitchell is a top priority, with White and Clark both saying they want her back.
White and Clark will face pressure in 2027 to bring a title home to Indiana. Anything short of that could be big trouble for White and her job security, but Clark has her back.
Caitlin Clark Opened Up About Fever Coach After Playoff Series Loss