Stephanie White recently came under fire from some Indiana Fever fans for her presence on Team USA during the FIBA Women’s World Cup Qualifiers. Critics argued that she should not have been there and should instead focus on the upcoming season. However, White steered Indiana to a semifinal finish last season despite the absence of key players, most notably Caitlin Clark.
The 48-year-old coach served as an assistant to head coach Kara Lawson. Team USA went 5–0 and dominated all of its opponents by wide margins.
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Indiana defied expectations last season and is expected to perform even better next season with Clark healthy again. Critics will not get what they want, as White will continue working with Team USA after being named a court coach for its training camp.
Indiana Fever coach Stephanie White cheers her playersGrace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
(Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
Congratulatory messages poured in for White. Dallas Wings veteran Aerial Powers reacted to the news by writing, “🔥🔥.”
“Best coach in the WNBA by far!!! ❤️❤️❤️,” another fan wrote.
White, who was also a Fever player from 2000 to 2004, won the WNBA Coach of the Year award in 2023. She coached the Connecticut Sun before returning to Indiana in 2024.
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She also returned to the NCAA Tournament last week, joining broadcast teams for coverage of several first- and second-round games. She specifically covered matchups between No. 1 seed South Carolina vs. No. 16 seed Southern and No. 9 seed USC vs. No. 8 seed Clemson.
Although the players have yet to reunite, the Fever have already begun preparations for the new WNBA season. Fans will see Clark back in action when Indiana take on the Nigerian national team on May 2 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in a preseason game.
They are also set to test themselves before the season opener against the Dallas Wings, led by reigning Rookie of the Year Paige Bueckers, and the New York Liberty.
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Related: Support Pours In for Fever Coach Stephanie White Amid Backlash
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Apr 1, 2026, where it first appeared in the WNBA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
