Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
Is Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White intentionally sabotaging star player Caitlin Clark? That’s the question coming from some Fever fans, and more specifically, Clark fans, in recent days.
The answer, obviously, is of course not.
But it’s also easy to see why Clark’s most ardent supporters would feel that way.
For one, Clark helped lead the Fever to a torrid comeback against the Washington Mystics on Friday night, scoring 17 points in the fourth quarter. But the Fever came up just short, losing 104-102 after Kelsey Mitchell’s shot at the buzzer caught iron.
Fans immediately wondered why White didn’t draw up an attempt for Clark, not Mitchell, and in the postgame press conference, White deferred when asked about Clark’s heroics.
“I thought our whole group showed resilience, in that rally we showed the ability to make tough shots,” she said in response to a question about Clark having 17 fourth-quarter points.
Steph White Subbed Out Caitlin Clark In Pursuit Of Triple-Double
On Sunday, the Fever got back in the win column with an 89-78 victory over the Seattle Storm. Clark had 21 points, 10 assists, and seven rebounds. But she played just 24 minutes compared to Mitchell’s 28, the latter of whom stayed in the game late into the fourth quarter.
Fans felt that White robbed Clark of an opportunity at a triple-double.
“Getting taken out of a WNBA game with 8 minutes left is crazy, especially when mostly everybody in that Arena is there to see her,” one fan said on X.
“She’s being sabotaged at every chance by her coach,” wrote another.
One look showed dozens of similar complaints from fans who believe White is doing Clark no favors.
“This could have been a generational performance and at worst a triple double for Caitlin Clark tonight against the Storm. I don’t understand the rotations Stephanie White is doing to this team. Anytime Caitlin was in rhythm she got subbed out lol,” a third fan wrote.
The reality, however, is far different.
Clark was limited to just 13 games a year ago due to injury, and the Fever have championship aspirations. If Indiana is to get that far, having a healthy Caitlin Clark is imperative.
Could White be a little less cautious with the superstar? Perhaps.
But it’s hard to blame her for taking a long view of the season.