Absolutely electric. That’s the only way to describe the energy swirling around the Indiana Fever as the WNBA tips off a new season—and the Caitlin Clark era enters its second chapter.
Last year, Clark didn’t just arrive in the league; she detonated onto the scene, shattering rookie records, leading the league in assists, and transforming Gainbridge Fieldhouse into a can’t-miss destination. But with the hire of Stephanie White—Indiana native, Purdue legend, 2015 Finals coach, and reigning WNBA Coach of the Year—things are about to reach a whole new level.
And White isn’t easing into this. On the Good Follow podcast with Ros Gold-Onwude, her first public remarks weren’t a mission statement—they were a challenge. A warning, even.
“We can’t be as fundamentally predictable,” White said. “We have to help her diversify her finishing ability… She can’t just be the initiator—she needs to be everywhere.”
What she’s describing isn’t just a star player—it’s a schematic nightmare for opponents. Last season, teams could load up on Clark at the top, try to blitz her off screens, and hope to funnel her into help defense. But now? White wants Clark slipping screens, flying off pin-downs, cutting backdoor, and becoming just as dangerous without the ball as she is with it.
That’s terrifying for opposing defenses.
And let’s not forget: this is a player who already averaged 19.2 points and 8.4 assists per game as a rookie. Who already bent defenses out of shape nightly. If White succeeds in making Clark even more unpredictable, more versatile, and more complete, the WNBA may need to rewrite more than just the record books.
They might need to rethink their entire defensive playbook.
With a bolstered roster, a championship-level coach returning home, and a generational talent entering Year 2 with more weapons in her toolbox, Indiana Fever basketball is no longer just a compelling storyline.
It’s becoming a legitimate problem for the rest of the league.
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