Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever and former Connecticut Sun coach Stephanie White. Photo Credits: Imagn

"She's a trailblazer": Caitlin Clark once heaped lavish praise on Fever's reported HC target Stephanie White

Modified Oct 29, 2024 15:51 GMT

The Indiana Fever are in the market for a new head coach and comments from earlier this year when Caitlin Clark heaped praise on Stephanie White reemerged on social media. After White left her position as the coach of the Connecticut Sun on Monday, it has been reported that she could be in line to fill the vacancy in Indianapolis.

Per an article from journalist Annie Costabile of Chicago Sun-Times earlier this week, multiple sources believe White could return next season with the Fever.

The Fever boast a talented young core of players with 2024 Rookie of the Year Caitlin Clark as the top name in the lineup. The 22-year-old guard is a big fan of White, and was full of praise for the head coach during a press conference conducted earlier this year:

"She's been a trailblazer honestly. I think she has always been somebody that's been supporting of my game."

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Caitlin Clark was speaking before her first ever professional game against the Connecticut Sun on May 14. She went on to commend White for an outstanding career not only as a coach but also as a basketball analyst:

"I just think she has a really great basketball mind. I think she's done a great job calling college games. It has been great to see her on NBA games. ... It's been fun to talk to her at shootarounds throughout my college career."

At just 47 years old, Stephanie White has already put together a great resume. The former shooting guard was a highly-rated prospect in her younger days. She played four seasons at Purdue before making the jump to the WNBA, where she played six seasons.

White transitioned to a coach in 2003 and went on to hold several positions as an assistant coach before securing her first head coaching job with the Indiana Fever in 2014.

White has also worked as a basketball analyst for ESPN and the Big Ten Network.

White has plenty of ties to the state of Indiana and the Fever organization. She was born and raised in West Lebanon, Indiana, and was the 1995 Indiana Miss Basketball. The talented guard played 112 games for the Fever and was also an assistant and head coach for the organization.

Over the last two seasons with the Sun, White has a 39-27 regular-season record and guided the team to the semifinals in 2023 and 2024.

Stephanie White passionately defended Caitlin Clark from critics early in the season

Caitlin Clark looks at the video board against Connecticut Sun during a game at Mohegan Sun Arena. Photo Credit: Imagn

There were high expectations for Caitlin Clark's rookie season in the WNBA but not everyone was willing to buy into the hype.

Clark went on to have a historic season but there was heavy criticism of the No. 1 pick after she scored just nine points against the New York Liberty in her second game as a professional on May 16. Following the game, White came out in defense of the young guard:

"Guys, chill out. She's gonna be fine. It's two games in, are you kidding me? She's a student of the game, she got better every year, you're not going to just absorb all of the new information that's coming at you in two games."

In 2024, Caitlin Clark led the league in assists (337), 3-pointers made (122) and ranked fifth in total points (769). She broke several records in her first year in the league and was named the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year.