When Caitlin Clark made her return on June 15 after missing five games because of a left quadriceps injury, she looked more dominant than ever. Her comeback was immediately felt, as she put up a 32-point performance against the New York Liberty and followed it with 20 points versus the Connecticut Sun. But that momentum didn’t last long. Since then, Clark has gone 1 for 17 from 3 in her last two games. So, you can see why spectators aren’t exactly thrilled with her recent performances. But if you think it’s just Clark’s cold shooting that’s to blame for affecting the Fever, well, it’s not that simple.

It all started when the Indiana Fever star, who previously drained shots from 34, 31, 31, 28, and 27 feet against the Liberty, began missing even 22-foot three-pointers. In the game against the Golden State Valkyries, Clark led in three out of four quarters but went cold in the fourth. The result? Indiana fell short and took a tough loss to the Valks. Then came their showdown at T-Mobile Arena against the Las Vegas Aces, led by the indomitable A’ja Wilson—the Aces surged back and handed the Fever their second straight loss, 89–81.

And once again, Clark’s cold shooting became a major talking point on social media. She went 7-of-20 from the field and just 1-of-10 from deep. “Obviously, it’s frustrating as you want them to go in. Even tonight I felt like there were a few that felt really good off my hand and they just didn’t go down,” Clark said during the post-game press conference, shedding light on her ongoing struggles.

And she’s right—because shooting aside, Clark’s playmaking ability is still elite. She recorded 19 assists over those two games, which is impressive given her season average of 8.9 assists per game. So while many might chalk this up to just a rough shooting stretch, others, like Rachael DeAmita also echoed that sentiment on her YouTube channel on June 23. “What I’m trying to say is we do not know what is going on. We don’t know what’s going on in the locker room, we don’t know what’s going on at practice, and we, for sure as hell, do not know what’s going on inside of Caitlin Clark’s mind. So if you are an Indiana Fever fan, the last thing that she needs is people turning on her, because she had an off shooting night.”

“This Indiana Fever team is under such a microscope we are breaking down…every single game that they play…It just happens you guys. Sometimes players have bad games. Sometimes coaches have bad games,” DeAmita concluded. And even Clark seems to agree.

Talking to reporters after her team’s recent loss, the star player confided, “There are going to be stretches that are really good and there’s going to be stretches that aren’t as good…Certainly it was a tough shooting night. I got to find a way to continue to shoot and remain confident in myself because I know I’ve put the time in. I don’t feel like it’s anything that’s off necessarily, but yeah, it would’ve been nice if they went down.”

But if you ask fans in the comment section, they’re not so sure that’s the full story.

For fans, it’s not Caitlin Clark or the Fever’s squad, but Stephanie White

As fans tuned in to hear what RDA had to say about Caitlin Clark’s cold-shooting night, they couldn’t hold back and flooded the comment section with their perspectives. For many, the blame didn’t fall on Clark but rather on head coach Stephanie White. As one user summed up the fan sentiment perfectly: “This is all the coach. White needs to watch Fever games from last season and see how fast-paced is the only way they will beat teams. Fast pace will open up shots for CC as well as her passing. When was the last time we saw a full-court pass from CC? At Iowa in preseason.”

“The shooting slump isn’t the problem. I think Clark seems demoralized because she genuinely respects White, and she is disappointed at White trying to slow things down. They will be fine. But not until Clark and White work out their issues. And 100% this falls on White. It should start with White just allowing Clark to be Clark,” added another user.

Well, it’s because White also pointed to the Fever’s 18 turnovers against the Aces, which led to 28 fast‑break points, which was further evidence of breakdowns in offensive rhythm. Even Rachael DeAmita noted atypical decision-making from Clark—such as passing up open threes—a sign not just of poor opportunity but also of diminished confidence or hesitation. “Totally agree, RAD. It’s in her head now, and that’s not good. Missing shots she’s used to making, plus a new coach and so many new teammates, all are really challenging her head space,” added another user.

Well, that point resonates deeply. It’s because when Stephanie White was hired as head coach, she was expected to bring a much-needed defensive edge to the Fever—and she did, bringing in veterans like DeWanna Bonner and Natasha Howard. But once the team began to build chemistry, the lineup kept shifting. First, Clark went down. Then Colson and Cunningham were injured. Then Aari McDonald was added. And now, with Bonner out for personal reasons, the team is still adjusting. So it makes sense why fans are directing criticism toward White’s coaching approach.

“Stephanie White and Caitlin Clark are clearly not in sync. The play-calling is off, the system is slow and clunky, and it’s not built for the strengths of this roster. This team gave us false hope by forcing a style that doesn’t fit,” another user noted.

And it’s not just about Clark and White. Even during Clark’s absence, White’s tactical decisions came under scrutiny. As Fever’s offensive structure collapsed without Clark, who leads the team in scoring (16.3 PPG), assists (6.2 APG), and three-point attempts (7.1 per game),  White opted to start veteran Sydney Colson, a traditional point guard with limited shooting range, over Sophie Cunningham, who, although not a natural floor general, spaces the floor better with a career 36.3% three-point percentage. And that decision backfired quickly, as Colson tallied just 4 points on 2-of-7 shooting with 3 assists in a loss to the Washington Mystics. The Fever shot a season-worst 17.6% from three and posted only 60 points, their lowest in weeks.

What made the situation worse was Aaliyah Boston’s inconsistent involvement. For context, in a game against Mystics, she attempted just five shots. And in the very next game against the Liberty, she made 12 of her 19 shots against the league’s top defence. So now you know how this recent game wherein CC fell short against Aces wasn’t much different.

“Because she has to work for all her shots instead of the players giving her help and screening for her. And coaching played a big part in the loss as well. The Aces adjusted to what the Fever were doing with AB, and that was the turnaround,” another user wrote.

But was this really a coaching failure by White? Strategically, yes, as White’s game plan, to force Clark into the interior means she’s being funneled into non-preferred zones. Also, her coaching focus on “higher quality shots” simply hasn’t translated into results. But, technically, it’s a no, because White isn’t changing Clark’s shooting form or mechanics; she’s adjusting to team dynamics and opponent pressure. Caitlin Clark herself maintains there’s nothing wrong mechanically—she’s just in a slump. For her sake, let’s hope Clark is right.