WNBA Boilers: Fever Coach Stephanie White Talks Caitlin Clark's Work Ethic
Throughout her career in basketball, Stephanie White has played with and coached some of the top players in the sport. Now, the Purdue legend gets the opportunity to coach one of the WNBA's bright new stars in Caitlin Clark, who is preparing for her second season with the Indiana Fever.
White, who coached the Connecticut Sun last season, understood Clark's popularity and talent from afar. But sharing a gym in Indianapolis with the former Iowa standout, the new Fever coach has gotten and firsthand look at what makes Clark such a talented player.
A lot of it comes from Clark's work ethic during those offseason practice sessions.
"One of the things I knew about her from afar, but just seeing it on a daily basis, is the way she works," White said in a video posted by James Boyd of The Athletic. "I mean, we talk about work ethic a lot, but work style is another thing. She doesn't waste reps. She literally embodies the 'How you do anything is how you do everything' — whether it's a ball-handling drill, or a shooting drill, or setting screens. She approaches it with such a discipline that she doesn't waste time. I appreciate that and it's refreshing to be in the gym with her."
Clark accomplished a lot in her rookie season in Indianapolis. After a rocky start to the 2024 campaign, she helped guide the Fever to their first WNBA Playoff appearance since 2016, where they lost to White's Sun team 2-0.
Still, it was a big step for a franchise that had been desperate to return to the postseason.
By the time her first WNBA season concluded, Clark averaged 19.2 points, 8.4 assists and 5.7 rebounds per game. She was named the league's Rookie of the Year and was a WNBA All-Star.
Clark's bright future and superstar potential helped the Fever make some key offseason moves that turned the franchise into an instant contender. Not only is White coaching the team, but Indiana also landed veterans such as Natasha Howard, DeWanna Bonner, Sophie Cunningham and Sydney Colson. That's in addition to Aliyah Boston, Lexie Hull and Kelsey Mitchell all returning.
"Having players in here who have won championships on the sideline and in the locker room ... having those players alongside her can help guide, understand what it takes on a daily basis, what it takes on a play-to-play basis — whether it's something as simple as letting a call go or letting a play go and moving on to the next," White said. "Or whether it's something as important as when we're watching film — what are we watching? We're not just ball-watching ... It's really important."
Indiana is scheduled to open up the WNBA preseason on Saturday, May 3 against the Washington Mystics at noon ET.
Related stories on Purdue women's basketball
HENDERSON COMMITS TO PURDUE WBB: The Purdue women's basketball team received another transfer pledge this week, landing a commitment from former UNC-Wilmington starting guard Taylor Henderson. CLICK HERE
GORDON HEADED TO ALL-STAR CLASSIC: Purdue women's basketball commit Avery Gordon is one of several Indiana basketball players participating in the Hoosier Gym All-Star Classic this weekend. CLICK HERE
NYA SMITH COMMITS TO PURDUE: Nya Smith, the SoCon Freshman and Six Player of the Year at UNC-Greensboro, has announced her commitment to the Purdue women's basketball program. CLICK HERE
Dustin Schutte is the publisher of ''Purdue Boilermakers on SI.'' He has more than a decade of experience covering the Big Ten. Follow Dustin on X at @SchutteDustin.