IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White is continuing to face heat from the media over her comments about DiJonai Carrington.
Over the weekend, Carrington was ejected when she delivered a hard foul on Fever star Sophie Cunningham.
After the game, White appeared to defend Carrington during her postgame press conference.
“Yeah, I mean, look, it was a hard foul. I don’t think that DiJonai intentionally came out to get her across the neck like she did. But it did happen and I thought it was the right call,”
“She’s going to compete, no one’s going to walk in for an easy layup, so I don’t oppose the hard foul.”
Look at @StephanieWhite completely go out of her way to defend DiJonai Carrington after she clotheslined Sophie during that layup.
Even the ABC commentators said it was clearly an intentional Flagrant 2. But Steph is defending the DiJonai because she taught her and AT to do this pic.twitter.com/nxH05NlpVg
— #FireStephWhite (@WNBA_Analyst) August 9, 2026
Former ESPN host Lind Cohn, who has covered the WNBA and NBA for years, ripped into White for defending Carrington over Cunningham.
“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.”
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. pic.twitter.com/307ITmwhmu
— Linda Cohn (@lindacohn) August 11, 2026
Cohn wasn’t the only media personality to rip into White. Earlier this week, Barstool’s Dave Portnoy called for White to be fired.
“Fire her a– today. I don’t want her back on that bench. Stop defending the other players.”
“Oh, she plays hard, DJ. That’s just her being her. You see Caitlin in the press conference almost cover her ears and her eyes.”
“Defend your players. First of all, you’re wrong. It was a dirty play.”
“But when do you ever see in like the NBA, a coach not defend their own players?”
Stephanie White has to go. You’re the head coach, defend your players or get lost. pic.twitter.com/cfOCR0JhRk
— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) August 10, 2026