Sun coach Stephanie White is focused on family emergency and not coaching future

Connecticut coach Stephanie White is more focused on a family emergency that her professional future right now.

“My priority is my family right now,” White said on a zoom Thursday while holding back tears. “Honestly, just being here for my family getting through this, that’s my priority.”

White didn’t disclose what the emergency was.

Her name has surfaced as a potential candidate for some of the WNBA coaching openings after she led the Sun to the WNBA semifinals before losing to the Minnesota Lynx in five games. Atlanta, Chicago and Los Angeles all have head coach openings.

“I’m not having conversations right now about anything outside of my family,” White said. “I’m solely focused on my family and getting through this tough time.”

White has been the head coach of the Sun for the last two seasons and she also was in charge of the Indiana Fever in 2015 and 2016 before going to coach at Vanderbilt.

The Sun, who have made it to the semifinals in each of the past six seasons, are a team that could be in flux. Stars Brionna Jones, Alyssa Thomas and DeWanna Bonner are all unrestricted free agents. DiJonai Carrington, who won the league’s Most Improved Player, is a restricted free agent.

“It was a lot of fun on and off (the court) with this group for me,” Thomas said. “It’s just, it’s about winning. I don’t really care about the moments or the accolades or anything like that. It’s just about trying to get it done, and unfortunately, again, we did not get it done.”

The Sun started the season with a franchise-best 13 wins in their first 14 games before finishing as the No. 3 seed. They swept Caitlin Clark and Indiana in the first round before losing to the Lynx.