No other WNBA team should monitor the situation unfolding in Indiana more closely than the Liberty, who are searching for their third coach in three years.
After a chaotic season ensnared in off-court drama, Stephanie White said she hoped to return to Indiana next summer as the Fever’s head coach.
At the same time, though, White also acknowledged that the decision is ultimately not hers.
“I feel support from the organization — no doubt about that,” White said during her Oct. 3 exit interview. “At the end of the day, it’s their decision about whether I return or not. I’d love the opportunity. I love this franchise. I have always felt support from this franchise, and I hope to continue to be the coach.”
In the weeks since, White’s future has become even cloudier as the Fever undergo a regime change.
Team president Kelly Krauskopf announced she was stepping down from her role Oct. 23.
Hours later, the Fever fired general manager and chief operating officer Amber Cox.
The search for their replacements remains ongoing.
White, who is from Indiana, is under contract for next season. But it’s not unheard of for a new general manager to bring in their own people.
If the Fever decide to go in a different direction, the Liberty should be ready to make the call.
White boasts the pedigree, winning résumé and tactical excellence that could put the Liberty back in championship contention after another lackluster season.
The Liberty replaced Sandy Brondello with longtime Warriors assistant Chris DeMarco a year ago. DeMarco didn’t have a background in women’s basketball.
There won’t be that learning curve with White, who has more than two decades of coaching experience in college and the WNBA.
White has spent a combined 14 years in the WNBA, including seven as a head coach. She stepped away from the professional game to serve as the head coach of Vanderbilt from 2016-2021 before returning to the WNBA.
She led the Connecticut Sun to back-to-back semifinals before rejoining the Fever ahead of the 2025 season.
Over the past two years, White has posted a 52-36 record with the Fever while handling the intense spotlight and pressures that follow Caitlin Clark. In 2025, the Fever nearly upset the eventual champion Las Vegas Aces in the semifinals without Clark.
This year, the Fever, led by Kelsey Mitchell and Clark, were the highest-scoring team in league history, averaging 96 points per game. But they suffered a first-round exit.
There’s a debate about whether the Liberty need a more offensive-minded coach versus a defensive-minded one.
The Liberty never formed a solid defensive identity last season and need to make significant improvements on that end if they want to get back to the Finals.
Nevertheless, the roster as it stands has some athletic deficiencies.
Knowing that New York’s defensive potential is capped, the next coach will have to maximize the offensive talents of Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu and Jonquel Jones.
White is known for her strong defensive philosophies, and there have been questions about her offensive creativity. But she would just need to build a system around the stars that optimizes their strengths while also establishing clear, defined roles for others.
The Liberty job is widely considered one of the best opportunities in the women’s game because of the franchise’s resources, continued investment and the bones of the roster.
White would be an ideal candidate to take over.
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