Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever have not had the start they would have expected this season. After losing their season-opener to the Dallas Wings, the Fever suffered an overtime loss to the Washington Mystics, 102-104. Amid a dismal run for the team, the relationship between superstar Clark and head coach Stephanie White has come under scrutiny. White has caught flak for her on-court strategies.
Even though the Fever lost the game, it went until the last minute, and Clark was clinical in the fourth quarter. She scored 17 of her 32 points in the last period and made five of seven shots from deep to take the game to overtime. However, besides Clark, Kelsey Mitchell, and Lexie Hull, no player got on the board in the extended period.
Basketball analyst Jason Whitlock, who is known for speaking openly about things around the NBA and WNBA, gave a scathing criticism of the Fever head coach after her statement on Clark’s fourth-quarter performance. He wrote on X:
“Stephanie White last year when asked the same question about Kelsey Mitchell.
This woman HATES Caitlin Clark. My goodness.”
White said after the game that while Clark had a stellar run in the fourth quarter, she wanted a more “consistent effort.” However, fans did not take her statement lightly, as she had a completely different tone last season when Kelsey Mitchell had a similar run in a game. She said after that game last season:
“Speechless really… Just put us on her back, made big shot after big shot, big play after big play, she didn’t settle, she stayed aggressive and you know, she wielded us.”
Steph’s differential treatment of Clark has only widened the conversations about locker-room gaps between the squad and the head coach.
Caitlin Clark makes history as Fever struggles in the initial phase of 2026 season
Caitlin Clark made history even though the Fever lost to the Mystics in overtime. After scoring 32 points and eight assists in the third game this season, she has become the only player in the WNBA with 75+ points and 20+ assists in the first three games of a season. She even drained a falling away clutch three in the final play to push the game into overtime.
Even though Clark struggled with her jumpers and making her deep shots, she has come out of it as a superstar should. She shot 10-28 from the field in the game and is still far from comfortable in making her shots.
However, Caitlin Clark looked back in her bag at the end of the game and hopes to continue that form in the next game. The Fever will next play against the Seattle Storm, who have also lost two of their three games and are coming off a loss to the Toronto Tempo. Only time will tell if Stephanie White’s relationship with Clark improves, as it’s necessary for the team’s long-term success.
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