The Indiana Fever began the Caitlin Clark era in 2024 and took the WNBA world by storm. The Year of 2025 could be when the Fever really make a mark as one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference.
That’s a possibility with the addition of new Fever head coach Stephanie White, who bolted out of an aging Connecticut Sun team to lead a neophyte Fever core that just ended a seven-year postseason drought.
White’s return to Indiana is a homecoming for the fifth-year head coach. She began her WNBA head coaching career in Indiana (2015-16) and spent four of her five WNBA playing years (2000-04) there as well.
But will the homecoming turn into a lasting, fulfilling tenure?
How White addresses a few of these topics could answer that question.
CLARK’S EFFICIENCY
As expected, Clark proved to be the dynamic point guard out of Iowa we all expected. Just check the accolades: Rookie of Year, 2024 WNBA First Team, All-Star Game starter, 2024 All-Rookie Team, 2024 assist champion and fourth-place finish in MVP voting.
But there is one glaring issue for Clark that White’s new system must address: turnovers.
The assist leader (8.4) turned the ball over the most in 2024, averaging 5.6 per game. Her average of 5.6 is two more the second-place holder Alyssa Thomas and 2.6 more than third-place holders Natasha Cloud, Kahleah Copper and Dearica Hamby.
Clark also owns the WNBA single-season total turnover record of 223, 78 more the Thomas’ previous record set in 2023.
Turnovers by a young player with high usage rates — her 26.2% ranks ninth in the WNBA — can be expected. But the next step in Clark’s evolution is to rack up those assist numbers at a way lower turnover rate. That’s where White comes in.
A goal for White could be to implement a system that doesn’t totally abandon the Fever’s high-paced offense while keeping turnover numbers down for the star guard.
GETTING MORE OUT OF NALYSSA
Forward NaLyssa Smith began her WNBA career in 2022 and quickly looked prime to be one of the league’s brightest youngsters. Her ascension continued in 2023, when her points per game ballooned from 13.5 to 15.5. But in 2024, her points per game (10.6) and shot attempts (8.8) hit career-lows under head coach Christie Sides.
Alongside Clark and Aliyah Boston, a more involved Smith could form a Big 3 in Indiana for the foreseeable future. They’ll all enter the 2025 season under the age of 24 and have spent a season with each other already. The two forwards — Boston and Smith — don’t space the floor but Clark’s range, gravity and playmaking generates opportunities for the bigs on each possession.
That should be a focus for White in 2025.
However, Smith’s involvement in the offense hinges greatly on Kelsey Mitchell’s decision this offseason. The 28-year-old Mitchell, who averaged career-highs in points (19.2) and field-goal percentage (46.8) in her seventh season in Indiana, is an unrestricted free agent.
A departure for Mitchell, who played in her second All-Star Game in 2024, makes White’s youth movement in Indiana a more seamless move. If Mitchell stays, Smith may never got her chance at being a second or third option with the Fever.
And showcasing offensive talents is crucial for Smith, who is due for unrestricted free agency at the end of the 2025 season.
CAN WHITE BRING DEFENSE TO INDIANA?
The 2024 Fever squad were never mentioned much — if at all — for their defensive prowess. The defensive-minded White enters Indiana being known for leading a physical, bruising Connecticut Sun team that won their games on that side of the floor.
This is an easy marriage for both parties.
Even with the countless offensive possibilities for the Fever, defense has to be at the top of the list. The Fever won’t have willing defenders like All-World defender Thomas, Most Improved Player DiJonai Carrington or 2021 All-Defense Second Team selection Brionna Jones, but they’ll have a new coach ready to emphasize that defense will be just as important as offense. And quite frankly, the chances are White won’t have the 2025 Fever perform worse than the 2024 team did under Sides.
In 2024, the Fever ranked second-worst in opponents points per game (87.7) and defensive rating (107.5). And Fever opponents enjoyed getting out on the break just like they did, leading to a third-worst rank in fast break points allowed (11.3).
Here comes White, who led the Connecticut Sun to a league-best offensive rating (94.1) and opponents points per game mark (73.6).
The issue, though, is Indiana lacks a point of attack defender like Carrington and Thomas, who comfortably defends one through five. But the numbers suggest that a White-led team can figure out those issues on that side of the floor.
We’ll see how she solves those issues in 2025.