Indiana Fever coach Stephanie White made an opening statement to media rather than taking questions ahead of her team’s 106-92 win over the New York Liberty on Tuesday. White addressed criticism she had faced online following her initial comments about a flagrant foul committed by DiJonai Carrington against Sophie Cunningham during Saturday’s game against Chicago.
White stated that she did not see the Carrington foul in real time during Saturday’s game and had proceeded directly to her postgame press conference. Upon reviewing replays, White said she believed the foul was “egregious.” She emphasized that player health, safety, and wellness are always top priorities and that she maintains strong relationships with her players. White expressed frustration with what she characterized as attempts to create false narratives about her character and coaching approach, stating that “the hate, the fear-mongering, the divisiveness” would not succeed.
Caitlin Clark finished with 22 points and 10 assists in the victory and spoke in support of White after the game, saying she had assured her coach the team would win for her. Clark also criticized fans for booing White before tipoff. Sophie Cunningham, who had been injured on the controversial play, contributed 12 points off the bench and stated that White and the team “have each other’s backs.”
Fever president Kelly Krauskopf issued a statement indicating White has “full support” from team leadership, noting her effectiveness in keeping the team focused and united. The Fever have won nine of their last 12 games to reach 21-12 and are positioned for a playoff series if the season ended at that point. The team is on pace to set a league record for offensive rating at 115.
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