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Indiana Fever coach Stephanie White wants to win championships, but that’s not her only goal for Caitlin Clark, and Co. White is adamant about building team culture with her group. The Fever have a mix of youth and veterans this season, with a young core of Clark, Aliyah Boston, Kelsey Mitchell and Lexie Hull, surrounded by DeWanna Bonner, Natasha Howard and Sydney Colson.
One of the Fever’s biggest goals was to retain locker room harmony and chemistry when making these offseason acquisitions. However, before the players come into the fray, it’s on coach White to set the standard for the team.
During an interview for Purdue University’s Presidential Lecture series, White made her feelings crystal clear on building team culture, saying:
“As a human being, if you’re leaving your shopping cart out in the middle of the parking lot, I’m judging you. You’re not going to be on my team.”
Stephanie White added that this includes body language, having the right sportsman spirit and the ability to be coachable. The Fever coach seems to have these intangibles as nonnegotiables for her squad.
Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell showed great composure and professionalism throughout their rookie season despite the highs and lows. The team started 1-9 before reviving their season with a 19-11 run and making the playoffs. Despite being an inexperienced group, the intangibles they displayed were impressive and something White would be proud of.
Fever coach Stephanie White reveals Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell’s wish
Caitlin Clark and her co-stars, Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell, are seemingly excited about the veteran talent influx on the Indiana Fever roster. However, they weren’t just pursuing upgrades from an on-court perspective. Fever coach Stephanie White revealed that the trio wanted to preserve the locker room with these additions.
“Surrounding Caitlin, Aliyah and Kelsey with the right people is more important. But the No. 1 thing that each one of those players said when we got the job when we started free agency was, ‘Take care of our locker room.’ It’s not win at all costs. Right? It’s take care of our locker room.”
The Fever ‘Big Three’ has been a close-knit group that wants to maintain relationships and not lose the intangible amid the lure of winning championships. Coach White is aligned with those thoughts. She believes these relationships are critical for teams aiming for championship success.
The Fever have players who have been to the promised land while being responsible for team chemistry. Caitlin Clark and Co. can achieve what they desire in their pursuit of a championship with locker-room leaders like DeWanna Bonner, Natasha Howard and Sydney Colson.
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Edited by Arhaan Raje
