Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White revised her stance on a flagrant foul committed by Chicago Sky’s DiJonai Carrington against Fever guard Sophie Cunningham, acknowledging the play was egregious after initially suggesting it may not have been intentional.
White’s updated assessment followed fan booing during her team’s pregame introductions on Tuesday, as well as criticism from league observers and public figures. The Fever defeated the New York Liberty 106-92, improving to 21-12 and maintaining the top spot in the Eastern Conference.
White’s revised statement
White initially told reporters after Saturday’s game that she did not believe Carrington intended to injure Cunningham with a hard foul that left Cunningham with a bloody mouth and resulted in Carrington’s ejection. She later clarified that she had not seen replays of the play in real time and went directly to her postgame press conference.
"Was it egregious? Absolutely," White said Tuesday. "When you have a chance to watch that over and over and over on replay, you can see that. I didn’t have that in real time."
She emphasized the health and safety of her players as a top priority, stating: "Our players’ success, our players’ health and wellness, our players’ safety is always a top priority for me."
Fan reaction and team response
During Tuesday’s pregame introductions, White was booed by a portion of the crowd at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Fever star Caitlin Clark addressed the boos in her postgame press conference, calling the reaction "tough" and affirming her support for White.
"I hated that our fans booed her before the game," Clark said. "That made me a little sick, to be honest. We’re going to ride for her, and we’re always going to have her back."
Fever president Kelly Krauskopf reiterated her full support for White in a statement to Newsweek, praising her leadership amid intense scrutiny.
"Coach White has done a tremendous job leading the Fever and for the second-consecutive season, has us in great position for a playoff push," Krauskopf said. "She has kept our team focused and united, all while under the brightest spotlight our team and our league have ever experienced."
Cunningham and Carrington’s roles
Cunningham, who suffered the injury during the foul, expressed understanding of White’s initial comments, noting that the coach did not see the play in real time.
"She didn’t see the clip," Cunningham said. "At the end of the day, she didn’t see the clip."
Cunningham also defended White’s broader message, stating: "There’s just been a lot of outside noise. But our locker room is good. Our locker room in there, it’s tight, and we have each other’s backs. Coach loves us."
The incident has drawn attention to broader tensions in the WNBA, with White framing her Tuesday remarks as a defense against what she described as "hate," "fear-mongering," and "divisiveness" targeting the league. She concluded her pregame press conference with a profanity-laced statement and a walkout, which drew varied reactions from media outlets.
Team outlook
The Fever, led by Clark and Kelsey Mitchell, remain in playoff contention with a 21-12 record, the fourth-best in the league. They are scheduled to face the Dallas Wings on Friday, August 14.