Indiana Fever respond to Stephanie White’s strong statement

Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White delivered a strong statement during her pregame availability on Tuesday. She fired back at critics who accused her of not supporting Sophie Cunningham following the incident she involved in with DiJoinai Carrington.

The Chicago Sky guard committed a Flagrant 2 foul and the officials ejected her late in the first quarter. White made it clear that she did not see the play in real time. However, she emphasized how proud she is of her relationships with her players. Critics heavily criticized the 49-year-old for not backing Cunningham, particularly during her postgame interview on Saturday.

Indiana secured a 90-86 win to end its two-game slide. Kelsey Mitchell and Caitlin Clark combined for 53 points to spearhead the team’s attack. Cunningham was limited to three points and one rebound, while Carrington recorded eight points in three minutes.

Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White against the Phoenix Mercury at Mortgage Matchup Center.

Indiana Fever president issues statement about Stephanie White

Kelly Krauskopf issued a statement following White’s strong message. The Fever president highlighted how good the head coach has been in leading the team and expressed support for her.

“Coach White has done a tremendous job leading the Fever and for the second-consecutive season, has us in great position for a playoff push,” Krauskopf said. “She has kept our team focused and united, all while under the brightest spotlight our team and our league have ever experienced. She has the full support of leadership.”

And a statement from Fever Team President Kelly Krauskopf: https://t.co/tQsycroQpm pic.twitter.com/Vh9oD9wDtw

— Tony East (@TonyREast) August 11, 2026

White rejoined Indiana on Nov. 1, 2024. She previously coached the team from 2015 to 2016 before taking on the same role with the Vanderbilt Commodores. The Illinois native returned to the WNBA in 2023, serving as the Connecticut Sun’s head coach.

The Fever are aiming for a deeper playoff run this year and potentially compete for the title. White and Co. entered the campaign as one of the title favorites and have turned things around after a 5-5 start.