When Indiana made the bold call to cut ties with head coach Christie Sides during the offseason, they were ready to follow the same blueprint that transformed the Atlanta Dream into the league’s second seed after a similar shake-up. Instead, the franchise has slipped closer to the ranks of the league’s other mid-rebuilds. Dallas, Chicago, Washington, and Los Angeles – all of whom also showed their coaches the door before opening night.

While announcing Sides’ firing, vice president and GM Kelly Krauskopf made it crystal clear why she was doing it: “While decisions like these are never easy, it is also imperative that we remain bold and assertive in the pursuit of our goals, which includes … bringing another WNBA championship back to Indiana.” The ambition was clear, but the execution is still very much in progress, and HC White might not be doing enough.

Because Indiana’s skid turned sharper this week. They just dropped back-to-back games to the same Minnesota team within a span of just 72 hours. First, when Napheesa Collier sat out, then again when she returned. After the second loss, head coach Stephanie White faced the question head-on: “This game kind of brought you guys down to eighth in the standings. Just going into these final weeks of the season and into the playoffs. Just how much stock do you take in the standings at this point?” 

White’s response wasn’t exactly the aggressive tone Kelly Krauskopf likely envisioned when she made the coaching change. “Well, I think for us, we got to focus on one day at a time. You know, we can’t—we got to control what we can control…” White said, and that’s neither bold nor assertive. White did try to steady the ship with a follow-up: “We got to stay locked in on what we have to do and be where our feet are and take care of what’s in front of us.” But what’s in front of Indiana is no small task.

Indiana is currently sitting at the 8th spot. That’s with a razor-thin margin of two games over Los Angeles. Moreover, a four-team scramble with Seattle, Golden State, and the Sparks for the last three playoff spots. This stretch also puts a brighter spotlight on Stephanie White’s future in Indiana. After all, the Fever made the postseason under Christie Sides, too. They sneaked in as the sixth seed before being swept by the Connecticut Sun. But that wasn’t enough for the franchise. Now, with the same expectations and even less margin for error, White’s clock is ticking. Let’s hear what Jason Whitlock has to say on the matter-

Caitlin Clark Should Have a Better Coach than Stephanie White

We’re all aware that with the playoffs approaching, the Indiana Fever’s difficulties have become a major topic on talk shows. And HC Stephanie White has drawn criticism from many commentators, most notably Jason Whitlock. On his program, Fearless, Whitlock asserted that White should be under pressure. “If Caitlin Clark reaches the end of this season and wants a new coach, they better give it to her,” he stated. He even added that such a decision would mark the second coach let go during Clark’s brief professional career.

This comment led to a spirited discussion with his co-hosts. They mentioned that Clark could earn a reputation as a “coach-killer.” Quickly, Jason Whitlock countered that argument by making a stark comparison: “I remember a coach killer, his name was Michael Jordan. And he killed a bunch of coaches before he ever got to Phil Jackson. We’ve seen this before.” Here, his message was clear that, at times, a coaching change is essential to fully unleash a once-in-a-generation player’s potential.

According to Whitlock, the primary issue isn’t solely Stephanie White’s win-loss record but whether her system suits Indiana’s guards. He expressed doubt that she understands how to optimize the pairing of Clark and veteran Kelsey Mitchell, whom he referred to as “one of the best bucket-getters in the league.” Whitlock further explained: “Stephanie White doesn’t see it as a blessing. She wants an Odyssey Sims and Aari McDonald out there controlling the game. People she has leverage over and can control.”

Nevertheless, it’s important to maintain a balanced view. As Whitlock himself acknowledged, “If it doesn’t work when she comes back, that’s when we should really be blaming Stephanie White”. For the time being, Indiana is still in the playoff hunt. But each game will be an evaluation of the coach who was brought back to lead the team’s progress.