Indiana Fever could be about to present Caitlin Clark with the perfect coach following the dismissal of Christie Sides.
The WNBA outfit relieved Sides of her duties following back-to-back defeats to Connecticut Sun in the play-offs last month, despite leading the Fever to its highest finish in eight years following her 2022 appointment.
Clark was instrumental in the team's achievements last season, boasting an impressive rookie campaign with averages of 19.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 8.4 assists per game. Most notably, however, she netted a league-high 122 three-pointers in the WNBA.
Yet, despite her stellar performance, the 22-year-old sharpshooter will have to adjust to a new mentor on the court after Sides was shown the exit door on Sunday, a move that came as a surprise to many given General Manager Lin Dunn had previously emphasized the importance of "stability" for the team.
Sides, 47, issued a seven-word response to her dismissal online. Taking to social media just hours after her sacking, she wrote: "Leave it better than you found it."
It was a sentiment that's hard to dispute given the state of the Fever before her tenure. Prior to her appointment, the team had suffered a terrible record of 45-147 over six seasons in the WNBA.
By the close of 2023, the Fever ended with a winning percentage of 0.325 - their best performance since 2019 - showcasing their development as an emerging team. This progress caught the attention of Clark, who joined them as the No.1 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft.
However, the 'Clark mania' seemed to weigh heavily on Sides, who faced backlash from fans for not fully utilizing the Rookie of the Year by building the team around her. The duo were also spotted arguing following the defeat to Chicago Sky in July, suggesting a potential rift in the dressing room.
In a twist of fate, however, the Fever could look to swoop for the coach that caused them heartbreak in last month's playoffs. Connecticut Sun coach Stephanie White - a former Fever player from 2000 to 2004 - is being touted as the perfect candidate to guide the Indianapolis franchise to glory.
White remains contracted with the Sun until the end of the 2025 WNBA season but the 2023 WNBA Coach of the Year has surfaced as a contender for the Fever position due to her faith in Clark's exceptional talent, which she openly expressed earlier in the season.
After setting records in the NCAA, Clark had a challenging start in the WNBA, but White defended her from criticism and maintained the stance that the Iowa alum needed time to adjust to her new environment.
"I'm looking at all these things that all these people are talking about with Caitlin Clark. I'm like, "Guys, chill out. She's going to be fine,'" White previously said. "It's two games in, are you kidding me? She's a student of the game. She got better every year [in college]... It takes time.”
Whether White is keen on the job remains uncertain, but the opportunity to potentially guide Clark and Fever to victory might be too tempting to resist.
Local News
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