Caitlin Clark’s Indiana Fever are reportedly making progress towards hiring their next head coach.
Over the weekend, Christie Sides was fired by Indiana despite the team’s second-half resurgence and WNBA playoffs berth after beginning the season 1-8.
And now, it has emerged that former Connecticut Sun head coach Stephanie White is in talks with the Fever over their recently-vacant position.
According to the Chicago Sun-Times, White is also speaking with the Chicago Sky.
That report came before the Sun announced on Monday afternoon that they had ‘parted ways’ with White.
Former Sun head coach Stephanie White has emerged as a candidate for the Fever
Christie Sides was let go after leading the Fever to the playoffs in Caitlin Clark’s rookie season
The coach notched a 55-25 regular season record in her two seasons with the team, leading Connecticut to the semi-finals on both occasions.
She was also named the Coach of the Year last year by both the WNBA and AP.
Now, the Fever will be hoping that White’s head can be turned by a roster that includes Rookie of the Year winner Clark, as well as Aaliyah Boston (Kelsey Mitchell could depart in free agency).
The Sky, meanwhile, missed the playoffs as Angel Reese sat out the last six games with a season-ending wrist injury.
White has worked with both franchises before, as she spent 2011-16 with the Fever (2015-16 as head coach) and 2007-10 as an assistant with the Sky.
She led the Fever to the WNBA Finals in 2015, in her first season as a head coach in the pros.
The Sun are now the seventh WNBA team with a head coaching vacancy, as the Wings, Sparks, Dream, and Mystics also recently split with their coaches.
On Sunday, Sides reacted to her ouster on X, writing, ‘Leave it better than you found it.’
Sides spent two seasons with the Fever, but was let go by the franchise on Sunday
Fever president of basketball operations Kelly Krauskopf said that Sides ‘position[ed] us well for future growth’ in a statement announcing the change.
‘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 maximizing our talent and bringing another WNBA championship back to Indiana,’ Krauskopf said.
‘Coach Sides was an incredible representative of the Fever and our community, and we wish her nothing but success in the future.’
The next WNBA season will kick off in May.
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