Last season, the Indiana Fever were more headline than hardwood—every game, every move, and every word from Caitlin Clark was under the microscope. With over 1 million viewers tuning in for 19 of those games, including the WNBA All-Star Game and Draft, the media spotlight was relentless. And as the Fever enter 2025 with a playoff run in sight, Stephanie White wants to shift the narrative. The message is simple: the game is inside the building. The noise stays out.

In a recent Good Follow interview with Ros Gold-Onwude, White addressed the toll last year’s attention took on her players. “I think number one we got to be vocal about what’s acceptable and what’s not. Doesn’t mean that people are going to change. I think we’ve all been online enough to know that there’s a lot of hate out there. There’s a lot of vitriol out there.”

And Caitlin Clark? She’s been vocal too. After the Fever’s playoff exit last year, she didn’t hold back: “Nobody in our league should be facing any sort of racism, hurtful, disrespectful, hateful comments and threats. Those aren’t fans. Those are trolls.”

And it’s not just the players speaking up—it’s the league itself. On April 15, according to Reuters, WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert went even further. “We are creating a multi-dimensional approach to combating hate and vitriol,” she told reporters ahead of the WNBA Draft. The plan? Monitoring social media and using advanced technology to catch threats before they escalate, plus tightening conduct standards both online and in arenas.

It was a clear reflection on a season where players—including Clark—were often caught between fan adoration and a toxic, algorithm-driven backlash. Kelsey Mitchell gave a good glimpse of that in an open letter via Players’ Tribune. She’d admit to the blessings of the new eyes, but the extremities? Just as hurtful. “We need more institutional support,” she’d say, revealing how unsettling it was to deal with the questions, with the scrutiny, and to just live under a microscope all the time. 

White heard her. She didn’t hesitate to call it what it is: manufactured outrage designed to stir division, not dialogue.

But the former Connecticut Sun head coach isn’t just talking culture—she’s enforcing it. Stephanie White is locking down the Indiana Fever’s identity, brick by brick, quote by quote. “So I think number one, you know, for our team, our challenge is going to be what do we allow inside the building, right? What do we allow inside the locker room? Like we’ve got to be very protective of our space. We’ve got to be very protective of our team.”

This isn’t just a locker room anymore—it’s a vault. Anything toxic? Left at the door. For players who’ve endured racial slurs, death threats, and online vitriol, that vault mentality isn’t about image—it’s about survival.

The warning signs were loud and clear last season. After a heated matchup with the Fever, Connecticut Sun star Alyssa Thomas didn’t mince words: “In my 11-year career, I never experienced the racial comments like from the Indiana Fever fan base.” She added, “We’ve been professional… but I’ve never been called the things that I’ve been called on social media.” Her teammate, DiJonai Carrington, received an email filled with a racial slur and a violent threat. Former Fever coach Christie Sides responded bluntly: “There’s a lot of hurtful, hateful speech out there… and it’s unacceptable.” 

So when Stephanie White lays down new ground rules, it’s not just about protecting the vibe —it’s about shielding players from a storm that’s already breached the walls once. This time, she’s bolting the doors. But speaking of criticisms, White will be doing just that come April 19—this Saturday.

Stephanie White is taking some heat to Indiana, no not the WNBA one

No, White won’t be throwing down a game plan for the Fever; instead, she’ll be calling the action for ESPN as the Pacers face off against the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference first-round series.

Indiana Fever coach Stephanie White, known for her deep basketball roots in the Hoosier state, will join play-by-play voice Michael Grady for the national broadcast. This marks a full-circle moment for White, whose journey in Indiana basketball has seen her rise from Miss Basketball at Seeger High School to a national champion at Purdue and eventually a key player for the Fever. Now, she’s back with the Fever as head coach, leading the team into the 2025 WNBA season.

But on Saturday, she’s on the mic, offering her sharp insights to Pacers fans as the team takes on the Bucks in a crucial playoff matchup. This isn’t just another broadcast—it’s an emotional return to the heart of Indiana basketball for White, who’s well-versed in the game from all angles.

With her experience as both an analyst for ESPN and Big Ten Network, White’s perspective will be a refreshing addition to the broadcast. This is no ordinary game for her, as Gainbridge Fieldhouse, where the game will take place, is a venue White knows intimately—she played for the Fever there and has since coached the team, earning herself a second stint as head coach just months ago.

As the Pacers prepare to take on the Bucks in a rematch of last year’s playoff battle, White will be lending her voice to this heated series—one that saw Indiana take down Milwaukee 4-2 last year. With such a familiar and respected figure in the booth, Indiana fans are in for an unforgettable broadcast that ties the past to the present. Tip-off is at 1 p.m. ET from Gainbridge Fieldhouse.