Sue Bird has decided to downplay the heated interaction between Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark and head coach Stephanie White in what was a tough loss against the Portland Fire.

The moment occurred during a timeout, where White and Clark were seen arguing on the bench, reportedly over defensive actions. After a few seconds, White told Clark to get off the bench after she said something to her that irritated her.

Raven Johnson took Clark's place on the bench, who was visibly frustrated. WNBA legend Sue Bird provided her take on this whole situation, believing that such things usually occur between a star player and a coach.

"I think it’s frustration,” Bird said on a May 31 segment on NBC. “It’s also, like, not that crazy. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen this. It doesn’t have some deep meaning to it. I’ve had moments like that with coaches. I think it speaks to player-coach relationships.”

Apart from this incident, the Fever's frustrations were also showcased on the court, as they lost to the Fire 100- 84.

Clark had a rather abysmal performance, scoring just 6 points on 1-of-7 shooting, along with 6 assists and two missed shots from the three-point line.

While Bird was lukewarm regarding the situation between Clark and White, on the segment alongside her was another Hall of Famer in Cheryl Miller, who had a much stronger take on the relationship between the player and the coach.

Cheryl Miller Speaks on the Caitlin Clark and Stephanie White Interaction

As compared to Bird, Miller had a much bolder reaction to the exchange between Clark and White, as she believes that the situation feels escalated if such heated moments occur in public.

"Right now, it's frustration. And unfortunately, it's boiling over, and it's being seen. It’s one thing to have it behind closed doors. But when it spills over, and when the coach has to basically say, 'Hey, you know what, Caitlin, enough is enough. This is too disruptive, in and out, take a seat,'" Miller said.

The Fever entered the season as one of the favorites to win the WNBA title, but they currently hold a record of 4-4. Stars like Clark, Kelsey Mitchell, and Aliyah Boston are not able to impact games as a trio.

In addition, such internal tension being displayed in public does not help matters at all. The road ahead does not get any easier, so Clark and White need to settle all differences as soon as possible.

The Fever has a big matchup coming on Friday, as Caitlin Clark will meet Angel Reese and the Atlanta Dream (5-2) for the first time this season in what is expected to be the most-watched game of the season yet.

So, do you think we will see a more unified version of the Indiana Fever against the Atlanta Dream? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Joy Bassy

Edited by

Joy Bassy