Caitlin Clark, the standout guard for the Indiana Fever, didn’t hold back when reflecting on her experience under former head coach Christie Sides. After a challenging season, where the Fever reached the WNBA Playoffs but were swiftly eliminated in the first round, Clark has now made her thoughts clear about what was missing from the team’s strategy during Sides’ tenure.
Under Sides’ leadership, the Fever earned a 20-20 record and secured a playoff spot as the No. 6 seed in 2024. However, they were quickly swept by the veteran Connecticut Sun in the opening round, prompting the team to make a coaching change shortly after the season. Just days after Sides was fired on October 27, Indiana announced the hiring of Stephanie White, a former assistant coach with the team and head coach of the Sun.
Clark, now in her second year with the Fever, has already noticed the differences in coaching style under White. During a recent shootaround, Clark was impressed by White’s detailed gameplans, something she felt was lacking under Sides. Senior sports correspondent Sean Gregory, who wrote the Time Magazine feature on Clark, recalled overhearing Clark’s candid thoughts on the matter. “Caitlin said, ‘We never really had the best gameplans back,'” Gregory shared, emphasizing how significant this remark was in highlighting the issues Clark had with Sides’ strategies.
The relationship between Clark and Sides had been strained throughout the season, with visible disagreements signaling a disconnect. Clark later addressed rumors surrounding Sides’ firing, making it clear that she was not the one responsible for the decision. “I’m actually not the general manager of the team,” Clark remarked, dispelling any misconceptions.
With White now in charge, the focus is on bringing out the best in Clark’s talents and leading the Fever back to playoff contention. White, who has a history with the team, including coaching them to the WNBA Finals in 2015, is now tasked with building on Clark’s promise and guiding the team toward future success. Fans are eager to see how the new coaching dynamic will impact the Fever’s performance moving forward.
