Stephanie White has made it clear she’s not coaching for the crowd. In spite of the opinions of fans, the Indiana Fever head coach is remaining steadfast in her approach, as Caitlin Clark continues to garner increased attention.

Reporter Christine Brennan questioned White directly on Wednesday regarding the dissatisfaction of fans with Clark's use. White did not back down from her answer.

"I don't know that I really have an answer for the fans," White told Brennan. "I have to answer to our team and our franchise. We're trying to win ball games, not to appease the masses."

In ten games this season, Clark, who established herself as a ball-dominant guard at Iowa and maintained that role throughout her WNBA rookie season, is averaging 18.7 points and 7.9 assists. Her success as the main offensive engine has been witnessed by fans, and that base has not taken well to seeing her play off-ball.

However, when discussing the team's growth, White pointed to a wider picture. She directly linked it to the chemistry that her core trio is currently reestablishing.

"And so I think for us, figuring it out consistently is important," White said in the same exchange with Brennan. "Our big three are learning to play together again after Caitlin missed so much time last year, and finding a flow takes time, especially when Caitlin, Kelsey, and Aaliyah handled the ball so much a year ago. We also have other pieces that are still trying to find their way."

In 2025, Clark could not participate in 31 of the 44 regular-season games because of quad and groin injuries, which represent the first significant injury stretch of her career.

With Aaliyah Boston contributing 15.7 points and 7.8 rebounds per game and Kelsey Mitchell leading the Fever with 20.5 points per game, White is obviously still looking for a balance that maximizes the contributions of all three.

The next test in that quest for balance is coming up, and the timing couldn't be more intriguing.

Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever Eye Seven Straight Over the Chicago Sky

Indiana has momentum going into their matchup with the Chicago Sky in the Commissioner's Cup on Thursday night. The Fever are now 6-5 overall and 2-1 in Commissioner's Cup play after defeating Washington 78-76 on Monday, thanks to Clark's 32-footer with 1.2 seconds left.

"This is a hard league to play in. You take a win any way you can get it," Clark said after finishing with a game-high 19 points and going 4-for-10 from deep Monday.

"It's a win for us. We're happy about that, but also you go back and take a look at everything and find a way to improve," she added.

Clark has been a continuing nuisance to Chicago. She has averaged 20.4 points, 10 assists, and 7.2 rebounds over the course of five games against the Sky.

The Sky’s last win against Indiana was June 23, 2024, when they posted an 88-87 victory. The Fever have now won six straight against the Sky, winning by an average of 23 points. Thursday is an opportunity to make it seven.

What are your thoughts on the Fever's prospects of defeating the Sky tonight? Leave a comment below.

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Written by

Utsav Gupta

Edited by

Utsav Gupta