Fan Expectations Led Stephanie White To Step Away From Social Media, Per Fever Insider

So, when the Indiana Fever unexpectedly defeated the Atlanta Dream in Game 3 of Round 1 in the playoffs, Caitlin Clark highlighted her unsung hero. “Stephanie White!!!!!!” she penned on X. And immediately it clicked. While credit for the win goes to the players, it is shared by the head coach as well for driving the team. And it isn’t just the coaching excellence she delivers, as a Fever insider explains it better.

“I think after the first month, what really stood out to me was how she kept everything inside. She deleted social media from her phone. She was just on one of the platforms. And then she was like, even that was too much. And I think that’s so healthy….But anyway, with Steph, I think she’s right,” Agnes Scott shared in a recent episode of Rachel Demita’s podcast. Yes, Steph even had to leave social media.

Indiana Fever fans are indeed among the most passionate and loyal fan bases across the league. They show up when needed, but they criticize at times, too. And Coach Stephanie White hasn’t been immune to it. But for her, it was nothing new. Last year, she faced them firsthand while coaching her former team, the Connecticut Sun, in a playoff matchup against Indy.

“I think the thing that frustrates me the most is that we — I say we because I worked in television as well — but we in the media have to do a better job of not allowing trolls on social media to become the story….I feel like we have allowed trolls in social media to frame the narrative of what the story is, and it’s unacceptable. It’s unacceptable, and we have to do a better job,” White shared on September 26 last year.

Even when the team lost five point guards to season-ending injuries, White ensured the team kept sailing through adversities, taking it step by step. “We sit together and we fight, no matter what obstacles come our way, we will always stick together,” Fever veteran Natasha Howard once said.

And Howard is just echoing White’s mantra. “We have great leadership in that locker room,” she stated. “This group is tight. They’re connected. They stay together. I think, for us, reiterating we’ve got to be where our feet are. We can’t look too far behind us. We can’t look too far in front of us. We’ve got to make sure that we’re focused on one day at a time.”

And yes, this process fueled Fever to their first semis in a decade, after defeating the Atlanta Dream 87–85 in a thrilling Game 3. But the real test for White was indeed Game 1 of the semifinals, which left many shocked.

How Stephanie White led Indy to a stunning semifinal upset?

Stephanie White’s coaching prowess was quite evident in the team’s 89-73 win over the Las Vegas Aces in Game 1 of the semifinals. She gave charge to Kelsey Mitchell, who led the team with 34 points, and earned praise from HC as “the head of the snake.” Even Becky Hammon admitted her team had no answer for Mitchell’s offensive onslaught. But while eyes were on the team, Mic ensured to give Steph the flowers she deserved.

“I think Stephanie White is a miracle worker….This Indiana Fever team does not know how to give up. Stephanie White’s a miracle worker. Shout out Kelsey Mitchell. Shout out Lexi Hall. And even when she’s getting absolutely cooked it’s still going to put in the effort….Like what the Indiana Fever did today yesterday was exceptional,” he shared during the September 20 episode of his podcast show.

And yes, we get it—because when Indy entered the semis, they were least expected to grab a win. They were going against the Aces, the team that made it to the playoffs with a 16-game winning streak led by four-time MVP A’ja Wilson. But once Indy entered the court, it was difficult to even blink.

Offensively and defensively, the game was precise. But shoutout to AB, who limited Wilson to 16 points for the game—the player who had just scored 38 points in Game 3 versus Seattle. And all this indeed was made possible as White fostered resilient and cohesive team dynamics. Though they’re not done yet. They lost Game 2 to the Aces and are gearing up for the third matchup in the best-of-five series. What do you think? Will White be able to drive her team toward another win?

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