Caitlin Clark makes stance clear on Indiana Fever coach leaving as Lexie Hull wades in
Caitlin Clark lit up the WNBA with Indiana Fever in her rookie season, but it didn’t stop Christie Sides from losing her job as head coach and being replaced by Stephanie White
Christie Sides faced criticism for not getting the most out of Caitlin Clark (Image: Getty Images)
Caitlin Clark has insisted she had nothing to do with Indiana Fever’s switch-up in management back in November.
High-flying basketball star Clark was the No.1 pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft in April, selected by play-off prospects Fever with then-manager Christie Sides excited by her new prospect. The 22-year-old had an incredible season, setting an overall WNBA record with 337 assists and rookie records of 769 points and 122 three-pointers made.
However, after Fever’s season ended in the first round of the play-offs to Connecticut Sun, Sides was shown the door in October and a new but familiar face will grace the courtside next year – Stephanie White. She played four seasons with the Fever from 2000 through to 2004 before retiring, later returning as an assistant and eventually head coach.
It has been rumoured that Clark had a hand in the decision to appoint White as the head coach of her team, but the athlete has put this speculation to bed in an interview with Time magazine. The publication named Clark as Athlete of the Year for 2024 – likely due to her amazing career in college and now professional basketball, bringing in fans from across the globe to the WNBA.
She had just one thing to say on the White appointment, sarcastically explaining: “I’m actually not the general manager of the team.” After insulating that she wasn’t part of any discussions on management, Fever team-mate Lexie Hull, who was also present at points during the interview, joked: “Believe it or not!”
Clark has been an unbelievable addition to the women’s game, impressing old-school fans with her famous three-pointer shots that have seen her earn comparisons to two-time NBA MVP Steph Curry.
Clark has insisted she isn’t influencing the Indiana Fever’s calls (Image: Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images)
New fans have also flooded into college football and subsequently the WNBA thanks to her presence, and it’s hard to imagine that her upwards trajectory in the sport will slow down anytime soon.
Speaking on her future, Clark added: “Personally, I’m just scratching the surface of what I can do and hopefully how I can change the world and impact people.
“There’s also been so many people that are not involved in women’s sports, that are just in the workforce, or whatever they do, and they’re just like, ‘Thank you for what you do for women.’ I’ve heard that a million times.”
