IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Caitlin Clark and Sophie Cunningham are showing support for her head coach.
Over the weekend, White found herself on the hot seat when she defended Chicago Sky’s DiJonai Carrington after she committed a hard foul on Sophie Cunningham.
Sports commentators like Linda Cohn and Barstool’s Dave Portnoy believed that White should be fired over her comments.
“There is no coach in any sport on planet earth where Stephanie White would still be employed for supporting opposing players more than she supports her own, specifically Sophie Cunningham and Caitlin Clark” said Cohn.
On Tuesday, White fired back at her critics during her pregame media availability.
“The hate, the fear-mongering, the divisiveness, the stuff that’s trying to hijack our league will not win. It won’t win. We are united. We are connected. We will not be divided.
“Every day, these women put their ass on the line. … I stand by them. I will always stand by them. Everybody else can go to hell.”
Stephanie White made the following statement before tonight’s game: pic.twitter.com/VkYThRldsu
— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) August 11, 2026
After the Fever’s win against the Liberty, Cunningham came to White’s defense after her coach received backlash for defending Carrington.
“I think there’s just been a lot of outside noise. But our locker room is good, and that’s what it is to be an Indiana Fever.” But our locker room in there, it’s tight, and we have each other’s backs. Coach loves us.
“At the end of the day, she didn’t see the clip. And you know what, DiJonai, she is a hell of a player. She’s a great defender. And so she coached her for I don’t know how many years up in Connecticut.”
“Me and Steph are great. Steph is great with all of us. And so it’s really the outside noise that’s trying to distract us, but we’re good.”
Clark also went out of her way to defend her coach.
“I hated that our fans booed her before the game. That made me a little sick, to be honest.”
“We’re going to ride for her, and we’re always going to have her back.”
“There was no way we were losing this game for [Stephanie White]. … I hated that our fans booed her before the game. That made me a little sick, to be honest.”
Caitlin Clark on the Indiana Fever’s motivation heading into tonight’s game against the Liberty. pic.twitter.com/NlIR1Umxkz
— espnW (@espnW) August 12, 2026