Caitlin Clark given four-word rallying cry by coach Stephanie White | Other | Sport

Stephanie White has returned to the Indiana Fever with an ambitious vision for Caitlin Clark and her team-mates after reassuming the role of head coach. The Fever reached the playoffs this season, only to be eliminated in the opening round by White’s Connecticut Sun.

This outcome resulted in the dismissal of Christie Sides and paved the way for White’s return with the franchise she once led as both head coach and assistant. Sides faced criticism for not making the most of Clark’s abilities.

Therefore, the bond between the Rookie of the Year and White, 47, could be instrumental in steering the Fever to championship glory. The new coach has openly stated that is her goal for the team.

Speaking to The Fan – Indianapolis, when probed about the next level for the Fever, White made her expectations crystal clear in four words. “It’s competing for championships,” she declared, adding: “The expectation was always to be competing for championships, and I think now we have an opportunity again to be doing that.”

The timeline for these ambitions, whether immediate or more distant, is unclear, and White concedes making such strides won’t happen overnight. She knows Clark will be central to her ambitions, calling the 22-year-old a “generational talent”.

She also praised Aliyah Boston, claiming she is set to “go down in history as probably the best centre that we’ve seen in our league”. White stated: “You think about building around those two, championships is the expectation. You compete for championships year in and year out.”

Her move back to Indiana is accompanied by a surge in WNBA interest and coverage hitting unprecedented levels, with Clark’s rising fame being a significant contribution to its growth, according to Sue Bird. Speaking on  The Deal podcast, the women’s basketball icon said: “Even if you look at the 2023 viewership in the WNBA Finals, it was way higher than 2022.

“It was starting, the fire was there. But Caitlin came and she poured gasoline all over that thing and just took it to another level.

Bird’s comments are echoed by statistics showcasing the WNBA’s most successful season regarding viewership and ticket sales. The league drew an unparalleled number of over 54million unique viewers on its broadcast networks, which include ABC, CBS and ESPN.

The WNBA also celebrated a milestone as 22 regular-season games averaged at least one million viewers. Overall, the season amassed 136.29million hours of coverage across all national broadcasters.