New Fever head coach talks taking over young team headlined by Caitlin Clark: 'Expectations are higher'
Caitlin Clark will have a new head coach entering her sophomore season in the WNBA, as the Indiana Fever hired Stephanie White to replace Christie Sides.
White spoke with reporters after being introduced as the Fever’s next coach, and of course, questions about how she will be using Clark and the rest of the Fever players next season.
White, an Indiana native who won Indiana Miss Basketball in 1995, first explained her understanding of what fans expect the Fever to be next year: a winning franchise.
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"Expectations are higher, the game is different, the players are better," she said, per Yahoo Sports, with Clark, Aliyah Boston and Lexie Hull all in attendance. "We have to be forward-thinking."
Forward-thinking means being creative with the basketball, which runs through Clark as the team’s point guard.
"We can utilize more versatility, use players in different ways," White added. "It’s a high-IQ team with the freedom to make plays."
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While offense is what creates the highlights for the Fever, especially with Clark launching three-pointers and breaking records in the process, White knows that a true contender in the WNBA needs to be strong defensively.
The Fever learned that when they were ousted by the Connecticut Sun in just two games to end their playoffs quickly. White, who coached that Sun squad last season, has previously served as the Fever’s head coach from 2015-16.
Still, White finds value in knowing this Fever team had that feeling of making the playoffs, leaving them hungry for more this upcoming season.
"There’s never a substitute for experience," White said. "This is a young roster that gained valuable experience through the course of the season."
Based off White’s opening comments, it appears Clark and the rest of the Fever team will be allowed fluidity in terms of scoring on the offensive end instead of being in a rigid, play-based scheme.
That could benefit Clark, who averaged 19.2 points, 8.4 assists and 5.7 rebounds in her rookie season, as she would have autonomy to play on the fly, adjusting to what the defense is giving her.
However, that style also requires strong chemistry with players on the court, like Boston, Hull and others, making sure they are on the same page when things don’t go according to plan.
Either way, White will have a bright spotlight given the popularity the Fever has gotten with Clark joining them as the No. 1 overall pick of the 2024 WNBA Draft.
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