The Indiana Fever have gotten off to a disappointing start to the season, and that usually leads to unwanted media attention and overblown narratives.
That was the case again in Saturday’s loss to the Portland Fire. Caitlin Clark and Fever coach Stephanie White got tangled up in a heated discussion on the bench, and it didn’t take long before the clip went viral.
Unsurprisingly, that sparked rumors of a potential feud between the young superstar and her coach. That’s why, following Monday’s practice, Clark wanted to make one thing about their relationship abundantly clear: it’s all good.
Caitlin Clark denies rift with Fever coach Stephanie White
“It’s just another example of what everybody, all of you, want to blow up and make something that is just lost and not in reality,” Clark said, per ESPN’s Kareem Copeland. “When I got hurt at the Connecticut game last year, I bawled in Steph’s arms. That’s somebody I will ride for for the rest of my life. People that just sit on their phones all day, they don’t see those moments.”
Clark is a passionate competitor. She’s shown that since her days at Iowa, and things can get agitated in the heat of the moment. That has happened countless times in basketball history. That’s just the nature of the game, and part of coaching is being able to have those conversations with the best players.
Clark has overcome a somewhat slow start to the campaign, averaging 20.1 points, 4.0 rebounds, 8.1 assists and 1.3 steals per game on 39.3 percent from the floor.
However, her team is just 4-4 this season after a promising offseason, and the pressure will only grow ahead of a blockbuster matchup with Angel Reese and the Atlanta Dream.