Indiana Fever might be just one decision away from pairing Caitlin Clark with none other than Stephanie White, and honestly, that could be one of the best coaching moves of the season. And Annie Costabile from the Chicago Sun-Times has fueled the fire big time.

She practically said out loud that if the Indian Fever has even a slim chance at White, they’ve got to go for it, even if it takes firing their existing coach, Christie Sides. “I think it all has to do with the fact that once you have an idea that you have a shot at Stephanie White, then it completely changes your dynamic,” she said.

But Costabile does admit one could argue that coach Sides and Indiana figured things out in the second half, and that’s not a bad situation to carry into 2025. There are teams that had to fire coaches because it got so bad and teams were doing so poorly. But that wasn’t the case in Indiana Fever. After a 2-8 start, the team did manage an 8-2 post-Olympic break, becoming one of the top offensive teams for that first month back.

But she says it all goes back to one idea, “that if you have a shot at Stephanie White, you got to take it,” on The Hoffman Show. And with that, the speculation began.

But as suggested, Indiana didn’t have a disastrous season. In fact, they clinched a playoff spot for the first time in six years. Despite this, the franchise decided to roll the dice. Now, both Sides and White are out of their head coaching roles. After the teams made their official announcement, journalist Costabile hinted that the former Fever player might join Sky, Fever, or Sun soon.

via Imago

It all fired up when a clip from the playoffs resurfaced. The coach was asked her thoughts on the Fever’s development during an interview. “I was born and raised in Indiana and have a lot of pride in Indiana basketball,” she said, reflecting on her time with the Fever as both a player and coach.

“It’s exciting what’s happening with the organization and where they are. I’m proud of the girls of the Indiana Fever, excited about the future.” But with Fever on the lookout for a new HC and White just being let go, isn’t it fate tapping on the shoulder? And how can we forget that CC and White could be the unstoppable duo?

Why White and Clark could be the perfect team

White’s relationship with Clark seems like it’s already on solid ground. Recently, CBS Sports shared that Clark and White have a unique bond. According to her, during the Fever #22’s first-ever WNBA game, White was one of the first people Clark reached out to during warm-ups. White’s been in her corner for a while.

The 47-year-old’s admiration for Clark’s game has been evident. She’s noted that Clark has steadily improved throughout her career, saying, “She has gotten better every year, she put on six pounds of muscle from a season ago… and she reads the game.” 

Along with healing praise, the HC defended the young star when she started slow in the WNBA. “I’m looking at all these things that all these people are talking about with Caitlin Clark. I’m like, “Guys, chill out. She’s going to be fine,’” she said. “It’s two games in, are you kidding me? She’s a student of the game. She got better every year [in college]… It takes time.” Well, Clark would go on to lead the team in scoring, the league in assists, the rookie class — every year ever — in three-point shooting, and record a triple-double not just once but twice.

With the Fever front office reportedly willing to make the coaching shift if White’s available, it feels like we might see CC’s skills aligned with White’s gameplay next season.