Indiana Fever took less than a week to find a woman to run the team, and it is a familiar face. The Fever named former Connecticut Sun head coach Stephanie White to the same position, according to the Indy Star, becoming the second of eight WNBA franchises to hire a coach.
WNBA Rumors: Fever Player Excited About Indiana’s New Coach Hire, Star NFL Quarterback Wants To Be Part Of League, Sabrina Ionescu and WNBA Draft
Hiring White was a no-brainer for the Fever after the franchise decided to part ways with Christie Sides on October 27. And it was expected after White decided to leave the Connecticut Sun one day after Indiana’s job opened up.
“So, this has not been easy. But certainly, at the end of the day, it’s tough for me being away from my family,” White told ESPN about why she was. “So, from a professional standpoint and a personal standpoint, I feel like it’s the best decision.”
White has four years of WNBA head coaching experience and has coached in the league for 12 seasons. White has posted four straight nonlosing seasons, winning at least 20 games three times, and owns a 92-56 record. She has led all four of her teams to the playoffs, posting a 13-13 overall record, including the Fever to the 2015 Eastern Conference championship.
Fans Of The Hire
Indiana is coming off its best season since White was with the Fever. The Fever won 12 of their last 20 games to finish with a 20-20 season, though Connecticut swept them in the opening round. It was the Fever’s first nonlosing season since 2016 and first 20-victory campaign since 2015.
Reigning WNBA rookie of the year Caitlin Clark and 2023 ROY Aliyah Boston, who had a solid sophomore campaign, is among nine players currently under contract. Nalyssa Smith and Katie Lou Samuelson is also among the Fever key players expected to return. However, veteran Kelsey Mitchell is an unrestricted free agent.
Indiana holds the No. 8 overall pick in 2025. The Fever own three picks overall, one in each of the first three rounds.
ESPN’s Michelle Voepel is one of the many fans of the hire.
“She is a good fit. In 20-plus years as a coach, she has grown a lot. White was a key part of the Fever’s 2012 WNBA title as an assistant to Lin Dunn. She has previously worked for Kelly Krauskopf, who has returned to the Fever as president. And as a broadcast analyst for college basketball, White called several of Clark’s Iowa games and knows her well.”
The Future of Indiana Fever
White is a Midwest girl. She is from Danville (IL), played at Purdue University, and lives in Nashville (TN), an hour’s flight from Indianapolis. The 47-year-old also has an extensive history with the Fever. In addition to serving as the organization’s head coach, White was selected by Indiana with the eighth pick in the 2000 WNBA expansion draft and played four seasons with the Fever. She was also an assistant coach for four seasons before being named head coach in 2015.
“First and foremost, it’s home,” White said to ESPN’s Malika Andrews when asked what drew her to the position. “This is a franchise, the Indiana Fever, Indiana Pacers, that’s in my DNA. Grew up in Indiana, played in Indiana, played with the franchise, of course, was a part of the franchise when we won the WNBA championship.”
“You think about a generational player in Caitlin Clark, back-to-back rookies of the year with Aliyah Boston,” White added. “Kelsey Mitchell, I think, had the best year of her career. It’s just an exciting roster — what an outstanding moment we have in women’s basketball right now. To come back, be a part of it in my home state, with my home franchise, it’s just a unique opportunity and I’m so thankful and grateful for it.”
The Fever will officially introduce White as the franchise’s 10th head coach on Monday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Clark was ecstatic about the hiring of White ” Fevv showwwwwww,” the former Iowa star mmented on the Fever’s Instagram post announcing the coaching hire.
Patrick Mahomes Wants To Bring WNBA Team To KC
The Golden State Valkyries, who also filled their head coaching opening this fall, are the WNBA’s 13th team. The league will add two more squads in 2026, Toronto and Portland, to give it 15 teams. Therefore, it is likely that the league will add another squad in the near future.
The Athletic has reported that it is the WNBA’s intention to add a 16th franchise in 2028.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who is part-owner of several KC pro teams, wants to bring another professional franchise to the Heart of America.
“We want to get basketball to Kansas City in general and the WNBA and the success that they’ve had this last season and these last few seasons, it’s kind of a no-brainer to try to get a WNBA team in Kansas City.
“Kansas City is such a great place for me. It’s a place that I call home. It’s a place that I built a house at and that I’ll be for a long, long time. I think being involved in the community as much as possible [is important] and I love sports. I know how much the city loves sports, so let’s bring as many sports in here and showcase how great Kansas City is not only as a city, but the people that are in the city as well.”
While Mahomes may seem busy with his day job right now, he currently has stakes in several franchises in Kanas City. He is part-owner of the NWSL’s Current, MLB’s Royals, and MLS’s Sporting KC.
Those three KC teams, not to mention the Chiefs, have experienced success lately. The Royals earned a Wildcard berth in the 2024 MLB playoffs and advanced to the ALDS.
The Current, the 2022 NWSL runners-up, qualified for the NWSL playoffs for the second time in their four-year history in 2024. Meanwhile, two-time MLS champion Sporting KC missed the playoffs for the second time in three years in 2024.
Other Cities Want WNBA Franchise
However, KC will apparently have a lot of competition for the 16th expansion franchise as WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert recently said there were 10 to 12 viable cities.
Mahomes is not the only professional athlete who reportedly wants to get involved in the WNBA. Boston Celtics’ Jayson Tatum is reportedly backing a bid for his native St. Louis to get a team, and Cleveland Cavaliers’ Donovan Mitchell is interested in helping Cleveland get another team. The Cleveland Rockers played in the WNBA from 1997 to 2003.
Houston, Nashville, Denver, Philadelphia. and Charlotte are also possible locations for a WNBA franchise. Cleveland, Houston, and Charlotte previously had teams.
Sabrina Ionescu Played Through Injury In WNBA Finals
Per ESPN, New York Liberty star guard Sabrina Ionescu played through a high-grade UCL tear in her right shooting hand during Games 4 and 5 of the WNBA Finals. Which now makes sense as the 3-time all-star struggled in the series’ final two games, combining to shoot 6 for 34 from the floor.
Still, New York was able to capture its first WNBA title. While no surgery is currently required, Ionescu is slated to be re-evaluated in four weeks. Ionescu scored 62 points, including nine 3-pointers, in the 2024 Finals and a personal-best 16.9 points in the playoffs, producing shooting splits of 39.6/36.3/92.
Ionescu is expected to be ready for New York’s training camp in the spring.
2025 WNBA Draft Lottery
Besides the coaching search for several teams, the first major item on the WNBA offseason agenda is the 2025 Draft Lottery, set for November 17. The four teams that didn’t make the playoffs are involved in the lottery, with the Los Angeles Sparks having a 44.2% chance of winning.
Dallas and Chicago have a 22% chance of earning the No. 1 pick in 2025, while Washington has a 10.4% chance.
Golden State’s first-ever draft pick will be No. 5 overall. The Sky and Mystics have two first-round choices. LA, Washington, and Minnesota each own four picks in the three-round draft.
