Fever’s Stephanie White reveals WNBA fine after criticism of officiating

Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White didn’t mince words when sharing her thoughts on officiating in the WNBA, which followed Saturday’s game where Caitlin Clark suffered a quad injury that will sideline the star guard for at least two weeks. 

Apparently those strong remarks landed White in some trouble with the league. 

Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White gives her team direction during the first half of a WNBA basketball game against the Atlanta Dream, Thursday, May, 22, 2025, in Atlanta.  (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)

After the Fever suffered a disappointing loss against the Washington Mystics in the team’s first game without Clark, White was asked during the postgame presser whether she believed the league needed to step in to protect top players from “intentionally rough play.”

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“Obviously, I think we can get better in certain areas as far as how we call the game, consistency with how we call the game. . . . Are we going to say that we want a free-flowing offensive game, or are we going to have tough, grind-out physical games? And whatever way it is, the players will adjust and coaches will adjust but we can’t have it be one way one quarter and another way another quarter.”

She continued, “I don’t think collectively as a whole the league has to step in and do something, I just think that there has to be some improvements in certain areas.” 

But when pushed further on what those areas might be, White revealed that her previous remarks – likely those on Saturday night – resulted in her receiving a fine. 

Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White looks up on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, during a game between the Indiana Fever and the Atlanta Dream at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. (IMAGN)

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“Are we trying to get me fined again? Because I did just get fined,” she said with a smirk. 

White did not elaborate further, but the fine likely stemmed from her comments following Saturday’s loss to the New York Liberty. 

“I think it’s pretty egregious what’s been happening to us the last four games, you know, a minus-31 free throw discrepancy,” White said, adding she believed Clark was fined in the play of the game. “And I might be able to understand it if we were just chucking 3s. But we’re not. We’re attacking the rim and the disrespect right now for our team has been pretty unbelievable.”

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark talks with head coach Stephanie White before the game against the Washington Mystics at Entertainment & Sports Arena on May 28, 2025. (Emily Faith Morgan-Imagn Images)

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White said Monday that she was not sure when Clark sustained the injury exactly. 

“Sometimes great players don’t tell you when they’re hurting,” she said. “I’m glad that she did because we need to nip this in the bud.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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