ESPN’s Stephanie White tabbed as next Indiana Fever head coach

Caitlin Clark has a new head coach with roots established in Bristol, Connecticut.

Stephanie White also has roots in Indiana. Her return to the Indiana Fever marks a full-circle moment for the Indiana native, who has deep ties to both the team and the state.

On Friday, ESPN’s Alexa Philippou reported that the Fever rehired White, who was recently dismissed by the Connecticut Sun after leading the team to back-to-back WNBA Playoff Semifinals and winning the 2023 WNBA Coach of the Year.

BREAKING: The Indiana Fever have hired Stephanie White as their new head coach, league sources told ESPN

White, a former Fever player and coach, takes over a franchise featuring the WNBA’s most promising young core in Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston pic.twitter.com/clKhXcTQty

— Alexa Philippou (@alexaphilippou) November 1, 2024

White, a Purdue alumna who played for the Fever from 2000-04 and served as an assistant coach before being promoted to head coach in 2015, is no stranger to Indiana’s basketball culture. Her years with the Fever and her roots as a Hoosier seemingly make her a fitting choice for a team looking to reach the next level with Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston in tow,

Beyond her coaching career, White has also been a significant contributor to the men’s and women’s basketball broadcasting space. Since 2007, she has been a prominent basketball analyst for ESPN and the Big Ten Network.

Before returning to WNBA coaching in 2023, White did women’s basketball games for ESPN. Now, she’s part of the network’s studio lineup, a move announced in 2023. When ESPN announced its NBA coverage plans for the 2024-25 season, White was included alongside other returning analysts Bob Myers and Hubie Brown.

[Alexa Philippou]