September 26, 2025 • 16 mins
Indiana Fever Head Coach Stephanie White joins the program and starts her conversation with Jake Query by discussing the loss of Nancy Leonard. Jake asks Stephanie about the difference between game one and two in the energy level of both teams, how her relationship with Kelsey Mitchell has grown throughout the season, explains how she has grown as a coach from her first stint with the Fever to now, and shares what she wants to see from her team tonight in game three against Las Vegas.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
I feel like we've regressed in the musical selections, you
know what I mean. Like, I feel like we had
this great common ground in the beginning with acts, and
then with each week the music that that we've allowed
coach Stephanie White to pick for us, We've regressed. So
it makes me wonder what the next one would be.
I mean, how close are we getting now to like
(00:21):
Milli Vanilli? Pretty close?
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Right?
Speaker 1 (00:26):
She joins us now on the program Fever and Action.
Tonight it is Game three of the w NBA Playoffs
with Las Vegas. Coach. How are you?
Speaker 3 (00:34):
I'm good? How are you?
Speaker 1 (00:35):
Did you like Milli Vanilli? I'm well, thank you? Did
you like Milli Vanilli?
Speaker 3 (00:39):
I wasn't really a mill fan though.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
Yeah, I'm going to say that's a little before your time, admittedly,
but a little bit. Okay. I want to begin with
this and before we get into and there's plenty to
talk about and get to uh. And I know that
you talked about it obviously, you know, answered some questions
it publicly did. But I wanted to give you the
opportunity here because since we last to talk to you,
you know, we know of the passing of Nancy Leonard,
(01:02):
who was just an absolute pillar in terms of sports
in this town, clearly in basketball in this town. And
I would assume that you had plenty of interaction with
but just your overall thoughts on the loss of Nancy Leonard.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
Yeah, I mean, you're absolutely right, a pillar of sports
and a pillar of this franchise. And you know, especially
you know from a from a female perspective as well,
the leadership, the vision, the commitment. It just you know,
someone of her stature who we have had the pleasure
(01:36):
of standing on the shoulders of, you know, and now
I think responsibility to continue the legacy.
Speaker 1 (01:42):
You know, the I thought about this stepping in and
I want your your thought on this. I oftentimes when
you think about Nancy Leonard, one of the narratives, of course,
is you know, this this female athletic, this female pioneer
in sports, because it was such the anomaly right to
have an assistant general manager that was a woman back
(02:04):
in those times as the Pacers were transitioning from the
ABA into the NBA. And while I understand the relevance
of pointing out her gender because of the anomaly of that,
then the more I thought about it, the more I
thought but it wasn't necessarily even about that. It was
just about the fact of being a leader, regardless of
(02:27):
you know what I mean, because she kind of transcended
through that into simply face of the franchise, if you will. Now,
is that selling short or is that discrediting the things
that she may have had to overcome earlier in her career?
Speaker 2 (02:43):
Yeah, I mean, I think that when we look at
it from today's viewpoint, we can look at it like that.
But I do think it's short selling what she had
to overcome to be in that position.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
You know, certainly, I think we still have a.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
Long way to go in terms of women in in
in sport, especially women in what have traditionally been male
sport dominate the areas, and you know that, I think
about the this organization, Nancy Leonard, think about the drafting
of Ann Myers and and the way that this franchise
has embraced women in leadership position in the way that
(03:21):
women have been at the forefront of change, and starting
certainly with with Nancy Leonard UH, and then the commitment
UH to continuing to see the vision UH unfold. And
I think from a leadership standpoint, yes, leadership and sport
leadership and community, you know, understanding how to break barriers,
(03:43):
and you know, we say it all the time in
women's sports that if you can see it, you can
be it.
Speaker 1 (03:46):
And she was one of the first the Fever in
action tonight taking on Las Vegas game number three. Let's
talk about game number two in the fact that and
when I looked at that game, it seemed to me
to be one And it was interesting because you guys
had you guys had a couple of different periods where
you made runs coaching that game. But at the same time,
it seemed like there was a more passive approach to
(04:11):
it than in game one. Game one, it was like
they came out and said, you know, there was we're
taking this game right. There was just a will there
that seemed to drop a little bit in game two.
Am I being too critical? And I there?
Speaker 3 (04:23):
Oh, I think you're right.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
You know, I think some of it had to do
with with how Las Vegas came.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
Out in game one and in game two.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
In game two, they certainly came out like a team
who's won multiple championships, who understood what it meant to
be there, who had a desperation about them as.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
As they should have and as we should have in
game one.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
You know, certainly you don't want to come back to
Indiana in a position where you're down O two. I
think you saw their experience come through. You know, we've
got a group that's that's really not been through this
before in terms of our core group, and I think
you saw a little bit of lack of experience in
terms of mentality, what it takes consistently and and there's
no substitute for experience understanding the urgency of the moment,
(05:03):
Understanding that not just every step that you take in
the playoffs, but every game moving forward in the playoffs
requires a different version of yourself and your team. Sense
of urgency continues to go up, you know, desperation, not
the reckless desperation, but desperation in terms of understanding how
important every play, every possession, every loose ball, you know,
(05:25):
every box out, every coverage is and and you.
Speaker 3 (05:28):
Know this this we.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
Got knocked in the mouth and we didn't have a response.
We had our moments, like you said, where we could,
but it was it was a little bit of a
of a mirror image of Game two. You know, we
came out the aggressor, and then they were a little
bit on their heels and they made some runs and
we were able to make runs of our own to
extend and in Game two, they did what they were
supposed to do, you know, and now fortunately for us,
we're back home.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
You know, when I look at this year in the WNBA,
and there are wonderful players across the WNBA, and obviously,
you know, you see one of the best in Las Vegas,
right and Asia Wilson. But this year, and I know
that not everybody can win an award, Kelsey Mitchell is
the most valuable player of the WNBA When I look
at just what's happened this year and all and really,
(06:11):
and I think I say that, coach, because of the
different roles over the course of a year she has
had to fill at different periods, depending on what it
was you guys needed. It seems to me like she's
been able to fill each and every void that has
been asked of her. At what point this year did
you see in her perhaps even that elevation of game
(06:31):
to the point and she's been a great player. I
don't mean that she didn't have that to begin with,
but when did you see this year where you thought
to yourself, this is another level for her.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
I mean, I think at various points, but certainly, you
know when there was when we were at Chicago.
Speaker 3 (06:48):
We were at Chicago, I know we were without Caitlin.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
I can't remember, you know, who else was was not
playing at that moment when we were playing at the
United Center, and she just took over the ball game
in the second half, you know, in Connecticut when she
just took over the you know, she has these moments
where she just can take over the ballgame. And and
and then when we lose you know Sophie, who was
kind of our third fourth backup point guard, and then
(07:13):
we asked her to start playing a little bit more
primary ball handler, more point guard.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
And this is this comes with more decision.
Speaker 2 (07:19):
Making, it comes with more facilitating, it comes with more responsibility.
And she just continued to get better and continued to
shoulder that responsibility and elevate her game from that standpoint.
And then as we headed into the playoffs, the position
that that she'd only been in, you know, last year
for the first time in her career, and her leadership
really started to come through and her uh hold taking
(07:40):
you know, accountability and holding one another accountable, her communication,
just just different different areas that she's continued to grow.
I mean, she's always been a great player, and she's
always been a terrific score and I think that at
various points this year, and certainly as we've made this
playoff run, you've seen her playmaking and her leadership.
Speaker 4 (07:59):
Steph, how is your relationship with Kelsey grown from when
you were hired and when you started out trying to
convince her to come back to the Indian and Fever
to now where she has been. She arguably has been
one of the best players in a season in the
Fever history.
Speaker 1 (08:13):
This year.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
I mean our relationship has continued to grow. You know,
I know I know that she knows how much I
believe in her, how much I trust her. You know,
I could speak from from the outside when when we
were trying to bring her back just just how excited
I would would be to coach her and how much
we want to put her in positions to be successful
and put her in positions to do some things with
(08:35):
this franchise that that that she hadn't done and we
hadn't done in a long time. And you know, I
think that she knows that I trust her, and I
do and I trust her as well. I mean, she
is just The thing about Kelsey Mitchell is that she
just wants to play ball.
Speaker 3 (08:48):
Man. She is just somebody who just loves the game.
You know.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
She doesn't get caught up and and all of the
things you know that that are a part of of
being a basketball player in this league.
Speaker 3 (08:59):
She just wants to hoop and that she's the ultimate
competitor in that way.
Speaker 2 (09:04):
And you know, we've continued to layer things for her,
and so I think her trust in us, and certainly
our trust in her has just continued to grow. But
I absolutely love her. I mean, she is one of
the best human beings around. She is one of the
hardest workers you know, that I've ever been around. And
she is one of the ultimate competitors.
Speaker 1 (09:22):
By the way, when's the last time you just hooped? Like,
when's the last time you just went out and played?
Speaker 3 (09:27):
Uh, I don't know, Jake went like twenty years ago.
Maybe it's been a long time.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
I mean, honestly, like, do you do you ever just
pick up a ball and like nobody's around, You're like,
you know what, I'm just gonna put up one hundred
fifty shots.
Speaker 3 (09:39):
I'll put up some shots. I don't think it's one
hundred and fifty anymore.
Speaker 2 (09:42):
And every once in a while I would go out
there with the kids, but now they're getting too big
and strong, so I'm not trying.
Speaker 3 (09:47):
To get hurt.
Speaker 1 (09:48):
Well just wait, wait, like wait till you're my age,
and then all of a sudden you're like, oh my gosh,
Like I think I told you. I was playing pick
up ball and this is probably eight years ago, and
I go for a routine putback I've done a thousand times,
and just when I'm about to basically lay it back in,
this young buck comes up. I look over and I
see like knees elevating above me for a put and
I'm like, that's it, you know what I mean, that's it.
(10:09):
You've just done you know when you got to be done? Right?
Speaker 3 (10:13):
Oh yeah, that's for sure.
Speaker 1 (10:14):
I don't know why or where this came about this
in this postseason run, coach, but I've seen a lot
in the last couple of days of people saying, wait
a minute, there's this weird language within the WNBA rules
of when a player's out that they're still eligible in
the postseason, and that means that Caitlin Clark can still play,
especially if they get in the finals, et cetera, et cetera.
(10:37):
Your thoughts on that, I.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
Don't know anything about that language. I haven't had one
thought on that. I have not seen anything about that.
So it's the first time I'm hearing it, you know.
Speaker 3 (10:49):
But no, I mean, Kaitlyn Clark is out.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
Kaitlin Clark is again priority long term health and wellness,
making sure that she's ready to go and ready to
be healthy for our team a year from now, well
not a year from now, but for next season.
Speaker 1 (11:02):
Correct, So she is. There is no situation where she
would play in the remainder of this year, regardless of
how many games are left.
Speaker 3 (11:10):
Well, I mean, I cannot foresee.
Speaker 2 (11:12):
I don't like to use the words always and never,
but there's not a situation that I could could absolutely foresee.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
Fair Somebody asked me this question, which I think is
a good one, and I know that there's still basketball
have to be played, and I want to get into,
you know, before we let you go about tonight, what
things we might anticipate. But I think it's a good question.
When you look at the number of players that you
have been able to utilize this year and the players
that were not on the roster at the beginning of
(11:41):
the year that have found themselves there now because of attrition.
Is there one that jumps out of you where you say,
to yourself, boy, if there's a way to keep them
long term and get them on the roster beyond just
this short window, I'd love to have it. Who would
that be?
Speaker 3 (11:58):
Wow? I mean, you know, I don't I don't know.
Speaker 2 (12:01):
That's a that's a tough question, especially because pretty much,
you know, most people on our roster are going to
be free agents anyway. But you know, I think the
thing that we've that we've continued to learn, and I
think those of us who have been in this game
a long time, you know, know, is that you got
to stay ready so you don't have to get ready right.
And you know, I think Odyssey Simms has been a
difference maker for us. When she's aggressive and she's hunting, hunting,
(12:25):
you know, shots and hunting opportunities at the rim.
Speaker 3 (12:27):
We're a different team.
Speaker 2 (12:28):
You know, Shay Petty is the ultimate you know, leader teammate.
You know, got guy who can come in and make
an impact, and and and and that player who can
make an impact in our.
Speaker 3 (12:37):
Locker room and on the sideline and aerial power.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
Stayment's like her energy to be able to come in
at the point that she came in and really impact
our team in that way give us some things that
we needed we missed without the side that we had
on the perimeter. I mean, every single one of them
has has played a vital role in us getting to
the point you know that that we are. You know,
I think it'd be tough to say if there's one
that you absolutely, you know, have to have because they've
(13:00):
all been so important to what we're doing.
Speaker 1 (13:03):
How have you changed as a coach from the last time,
you know, over the just the course of It's hard
to believe that it was what ten years ago before
you came back to coach this franchise. When you look
at where you guys are now and some of the
things you've had to navigate, you've handled that differently now
than you would have, say, ten years ago, in what way,
if at all?
Speaker 2 (13:23):
Well, I think number one, you know, life experience. You
understand that you got to play the hand that you're dealt,
number one. But number two, you know, maintain perspective, keep
it in perspective. So maybe ten years ago, you know,
I would have been caught up in in what we
don't have instead of really reprising and rethinking about what
we do have and how we can make that work.
Speaker 3 (13:45):
You know.
Speaker 2 (13:45):
I think the other thing is is just learning that
that I have to adjust to what our team needs
from us, and whether that's you know, energy, whether that's
you know, being a being a hype man, whether that uh,
you know, as much as X's and O's, it's also
about presentation and production, and what they feel from me
(14:07):
is what as much as what they see from me.
And so you know that different players need different things,
and so I think my ability to adjust and be
flexible to what they respond to as opposed to just
being rigid and how I do things, I think that
that's changed, and I think it impacts different players in
different ways, you know, And and certainly I think you know,
(14:29):
from my standpoint, learning what that is and and and
and it's been different at various points throughout the year too,
and being flexible and being able to adjust to that.
But I think more than anything, you know, it's just
understanding that that we've got to control what we can
control and how we put one foot in front of
the other, and how we approach the day to day
in terms of putting the players that we have on
(14:49):
the floor in the position to be success, be successful.
And you know, maybe ten years ago I might got
I might have got caught up in some of those
things that we couldn't control and have not been or
would I have been able to lead a group like
this in the way that I am now.
Speaker 1 (15:04):
And the response that you would like to see tonight
in terms of what's going to tell you early on
how the night's going to go would be what from
your team.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
I want to see it's be aggressive. I want to
see us attack of pain. I want to see us
get to.
Speaker 3 (15:17):
The rim, get to the foul line.
Speaker 2 (15:19):
I don't want to see hesitation and taking shots in
decision making. I want to see you know, active and aggressive,
you know, dictating on the defensive end of the floor.
I want to see that energy. I want to see
that attention to detail. I want to see that fire,
competitive fire that our team has shown, you know all
season long. Look, I mean the reality is the pressures
not on us right like we I want them to
go out and I want them to play hard.
Speaker 3 (15:39):
I want them to play together. I want them to
play free.
Speaker 1 (15:42):
It's pretty special, though, isn't it. I Mean, it's an
awesome night outside, it's a great sports calendar, it's a
great time in Indianapolis. Chad by Cannon talked to yesterday
about the fact that winning has become contagious amongst the
franchises in this town and collegiately and everything else. It's
going to be a pretty big atmosphere down there tonight.
I know you've got to be excited about it.
Speaker 3 (16:01):
I'm absolutely excited.
Speaker 2 (16:02):
You know, this city has been waiting a long time
to have playoff games in our home arena in the
w NBA calendar and w NBA season, and now being
able to do it in the semi finals is a
huge opportunity. We know that they're gonna they're gonna show up.
We know that they're gonna show out, and we're gonna
we're gonna lean on them, you know, to give us
that added edge, to give us that added adrenaline tonight.
Speaker 1 (16:22):
Coach Stephanie White, appreciate it as always. We look forward
to talking to you again. All right, all right, thank you,
best to luck tonight. Coach Stephanie White. Game number three
tonight between the Fever and the Las Vegas Aces.
I feel like we've regressed in the musical selections, you
know what I mean. Like, I feel like we had
this great common ground in the beginning with acts, and
then with each week the music that that we've allowed
coach Stephanie White to pick for us, We've regressed. So
it makes me wonder what the next one would be.
I mean, how close are we getting now to like
(00:21):
Milli Vanilli? Pretty close?
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Right?
Speaker 1 (00:26):
She joins us now on the program Fever and Action.
Tonight it is Game three of the w NBA Playoffs
with Las Vegas. Coach. How are you?
Speaker 3 (00:34):
I'm good? How are you?
Speaker 1 (00:35):
Did you like Milli Vanilli? I'm well, thank you? Did
you like Milli Vanilli?
Speaker 3 (00:39):
I wasn't really a mill fan though.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
Yeah, I'm going to say that's a little before your time, admittedly,
but a little bit. Okay. I want to begin with
this and before we get into and there's plenty to
talk about and get to uh. And I know that
you talked about it obviously, you know, answered some questions
it publicly did. But I wanted to give you the
opportunity here because since we last to talk to you,
you know, we know of the passing of Nancy Leonard,
(01:02):
who was just an absolute pillar in terms of sports
in this town, clearly in basketball in this town. And
I would assume that you had plenty of interaction with
but just your overall thoughts on the loss of Nancy Leonard.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
Yeah, I mean, you're absolutely right, a pillar of sports
and a pillar of this franchise. And you know, especially
you know from a from a female perspective as well,
the leadership, the vision, the commitment. It just you know,
someone of her stature who we have had the pleasure
(01:36):
of standing on the shoulders of, you know, and now
I think responsibility to continue the legacy.
Speaker 1 (01:42):
You know, the I thought about this stepping in and
I want your your thought on this. I oftentimes when
you think about Nancy Leonard, one of the narratives, of course,
is you know, this this female athletic, this female pioneer
in sports, because it was such the anomaly right to
have an assistant general manager that was a woman back
(02:04):
in those times as the Pacers were transitioning from the
ABA into the NBA. And while I understand the relevance
of pointing out her gender because of the anomaly of that,
then the more I thought about it, the more I
thought but it wasn't necessarily even about that. It was
just about the fact of being a leader, regardless of
(02:27):
you know what I mean, because she kind of transcended
through that into simply face of the franchise, if you will. Now,
is that selling short or is that discrediting the things
that she may have had to overcome earlier in her career?
Speaker 2 (02:43):
Yeah, I mean, I think that when we look at
it from today's viewpoint, we can look at it like that.
But I do think it's short selling what she had
to overcome to be in that position.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
You know, certainly, I think we still have a.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
Long way to go in terms of women in in
in sport, especially women in what have traditionally been male
sport dominate the areas, and you know that, I think
about the this organization, Nancy Leonard, think about the drafting
of Ann Myers and and the way that this franchise
has embraced women in leadership position in the way that
(03:21):
women have been at the forefront of change, and starting
certainly with with Nancy Leonard UH, and then the commitment
UH to continuing to see the vision UH unfold. And
I think from a leadership standpoint, yes, leadership and sport
leadership and community, you know, understanding how to break barriers,
(03:43):
and you know, we say it all the time in
women's sports that if you can see it, you can
be it.
Speaker 1 (03:46):
And she was one of the first the Fever in
action tonight taking on Las Vegas game number three. Let's
talk about game number two in the fact that and
when I looked at that game, it seemed to me
to be one And it was interesting because you guys
had you guys had a couple of different periods where
you made runs coaching that game. But at the same time,
it seemed like there was a more passive approach to
(04:11):
it than in game one. Game one, it was like
they came out and said, you know, there was we're
taking this game right. There was just a will there
that seemed to drop a little bit in game two.
Am I being too critical? And I there?
Speaker 3 (04:23):
Oh, I think you're right.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
You know, I think some of it had to do
with with how Las Vegas came.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
Out in game one and in game two.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
In game two, they certainly came out like a team
who's won multiple championships, who understood what it meant to
be there, who had a desperation about them as.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
As they should have and as we should have in
game one.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
You know, certainly you don't want to come back to
Indiana in a position where you're down O two. I
think you saw their experience come through. You know, we've
got a group that's that's really not been through this
before in terms of our core group, and I think
you saw a little bit of lack of experience in
terms of mentality, what it takes consistently and and there's
no substitute for experience understanding the urgency of the moment,
(05:03):
Understanding that not just every step that you take in
the playoffs, but every game moving forward in the playoffs
requires a different version of yourself and your team. Sense
of urgency continues to go up, you know, desperation, not
the reckless desperation, but desperation in terms of understanding how
important every play, every possession, every loose ball, you know,
(05:25):
every box out, every coverage is and and you.
Speaker 3 (05:28):
Know this this we.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
Got knocked in the mouth and we didn't have a response.
We had our moments, like you said, where we could,
but it was it was a little bit of a
of a mirror image of Game two. You know, we
came out the aggressor, and then they were a little
bit on their heels and they made some runs and
we were able to make runs of our own to
extend and in Game two, they did what they were
supposed to do, you know, and now fortunately for us,
we're back home.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
You know, when I look at this year in the WNBA,
and there are wonderful players across the WNBA, and obviously,
you know, you see one of the best in Las Vegas,
right and Asia Wilson. But this year, and I know
that not everybody can win an award, Kelsey Mitchell is
the most valuable player of the WNBA When I look
at just what's happened this year and all and really,
(06:11):
and I think I say that, coach, because of the
different roles over the course of a year she has
had to fill at different periods, depending on what it
was you guys needed. It seems to me like she's
been able to fill each and every void that has
been asked of her. At what point this year did
you see in her perhaps even that elevation of game
(06:31):
to the point and she's been a great player. I
don't mean that she didn't have that to begin with,
but when did you see this year where you thought
to yourself, this is another level for her.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
I mean, I think at various points, but certainly, you
know when there was when we were at Chicago.
Speaker 3 (06:48):
We were at Chicago, I know we were without Caitlin.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
I can't remember, you know, who else was was not
playing at that moment when we were playing at the
United Center, and she just took over the ball game
in the second half, you know, in Connecticut when she
just took over the you know, she has these moments
where she just can take over the ballgame. And and
and then when we lose you know Sophie, who was
kind of our third fourth backup point guard, and then
(07:13):
we asked her to start playing a little bit more
primary ball handler, more point guard.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
And this is this comes with more decision.
Speaker 2 (07:19):
Making, it comes with more facilitating, it comes with more responsibility.
And she just continued to get better and continued to
shoulder that responsibility and elevate her game from that standpoint.
And then as we headed into the playoffs, the position
that that she'd only been in, you know, last year
for the first time in her career, and her leadership
really started to come through and her uh hold taking
(07:40):
you know, accountability and holding one another accountable, her communication,
just just different different areas that she's continued to grow.
I mean, she's always been a great player, and she's
always been a terrific score and I think that at
various points this year, and certainly as we've made this
playoff run, you've seen her playmaking and her leadership.
Speaker 4 (07:59):
Steph, how is your relationship with Kelsey grown from when
you were hired and when you started out trying to
convince her to come back to the Indian and Fever
to now where she has been. She arguably has been
one of the best players in a season in the
Fever history.
Speaker 1 (08:13):
This year.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
I mean our relationship has continued to grow. You know,
I know I know that she knows how much I
believe in her, how much I trust her. You know,
I could speak from from the outside when when we
were trying to bring her back just just how excited
I would would be to coach her and how much
we want to put her in positions to be successful
and put her in positions to do some things with
(08:35):
this franchise that that that she hadn't done and we
hadn't done in a long time. And you know, I
think that she knows that I trust her, and I
do and I trust her as well. I mean, she
is just The thing about Kelsey Mitchell is that she
just wants to play ball.
Speaker 3 (08:48):
Man. She is just somebody who just loves the game.
You know.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
She doesn't get caught up and and all of the
things you know that that are a part of of
being a basketball player in this league.
Speaker 3 (08:59):
She just wants to hoop and that she's the ultimate
competitor in that way.
Speaker 2 (09:04):
And you know, we've continued to layer things for her,
and so I think her trust in us, and certainly
our trust in her has just continued to grow. But
I absolutely love her. I mean, she is one of
the best human beings around. She is one of the
hardest workers you know, that I've ever been around. And
she is one of the ultimate competitors.
Speaker 1 (09:22):
By the way, when's the last time you just hooped? Like,
when's the last time you just went out and played?
Speaker 3 (09:27):
Uh, I don't know, Jake went like twenty years ago.
Maybe it's been a long time.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
I mean, honestly, like, do you do you ever just
pick up a ball and like nobody's around, You're like,
you know what, I'm just gonna put up one hundred
fifty shots.
Speaker 3 (09:39):
I'll put up some shots. I don't think it's one
hundred and fifty anymore.
Speaker 2 (09:42):
And every once in a while I would go out
there with the kids, but now they're getting too big
and strong, so I'm not trying.
Speaker 3 (09:47):
To get hurt.
Speaker 1 (09:48):
Well just wait, wait, like wait till you're my age,
and then all of a sudden you're like, oh my gosh,
Like I think I told you. I was playing pick
up ball and this is probably eight years ago, and
I go for a routine putback I've done a thousand times,
and just when I'm about to basically lay it back in,
this young buck comes up. I look over and I
see like knees elevating above me for a put and
I'm like, that's it, you know what I mean, that's it.
(10:09):
You've just done you know when you got to be done? Right?
Speaker 3 (10:13):
Oh yeah, that's for sure.
Speaker 1 (10:14):
I don't know why or where this came about this
in this postseason run, coach, but I've seen a lot
in the last couple of days of people saying, wait
a minute, there's this weird language within the WNBA rules
of when a player's out that they're still eligible in
the postseason, and that means that Caitlin Clark can still play,
especially if they get in the finals, et cetera, et cetera.
(10:37):
Your thoughts on that, I.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
Don't know anything about that language. I haven't had one
thought on that. I have not seen anything about that.
So it's the first time I'm hearing it, you know.
Speaker 3 (10:49):
But no, I mean, Kaitlyn Clark is out.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
Kaitlin Clark is again priority long term health and wellness,
making sure that she's ready to go and ready to
be healthy for our team a year from now, well
not a year from now, but for next season.
Speaker 1 (11:02):
Correct, So she is. There is no situation where she
would play in the remainder of this year, regardless of
how many games are left.
Speaker 3 (11:10):
Well, I mean, I cannot foresee.
Speaker 2 (11:12):
I don't like to use the words always and never,
but there's not a situation that I could could absolutely foresee.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
Fair Somebody asked me this question, which I think is
a good one, and I know that there's still basketball
have to be played, and I want to get into,
you know, before we let you go about tonight, what
things we might anticipate. But I think it's a good question.
When you look at the number of players that you
have been able to utilize this year and the players
that were not on the roster at the beginning of
(11:41):
the year that have found themselves there now because of attrition.
Is there one that jumps out of you where you say,
to yourself, boy, if there's a way to keep them
long term and get them on the roster beyond just
this short window, I'd love to have it. Who would
that be?
Speaker 3 (11:58):
Wow? I mean, you know, I don't I don't know.
Speaker 2 (12:01):
That's a that's a tough question, especially because pretty much,
you know, most people on our roster are going to
be free agents anyway. But you know, I think the
thing that we've that we've continued to learn, and I
think those of us who have been in this game
a long time, you know, know, is that you got
to stay ready so you don't have to get ready right.
And you know, I think Odyssey Simms has been a
difference maker for us. When she's aggressive and she's hunting, hunting,
(12:25):
you know, shots and hunting opportunities at the rim.
Speaker 3 (12:27):
We're a different team.
Speaker 2 (12:28):
You know, Shay Petty is the ultimate you know, leader teammate.
You know, got guy who can come in and make
an impact, and and and and that player who can
make an impact in our.
Speaker 3 (12:37):
Locker room and on the sideline and aerial power.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
Stayment's like her energy to be able to come in
at the point that she came in and really impact
our team in that way give us some things that
we needed we missed without the side that we had
on the perimeter. I mean, every single one of them
has has played a vital role in us getting to
the point you know that that we are. You know,
I think it'd be tough to say if there's one
that you absolutely, you know, have to have because they've
(13:00):
all been so important to what we're doing.
Speaker 1 (13:03):
How have you changed as a coach from the last time,
you know, over the just the course of It's hard
to believe that it was what ten years ago before
you came back to coach this franchise. When you look
at where you guys are now and some of the
things you've had to navigate, you've handled that differently now
than you would have, say, ten years ago, in what way,
if at all?
Speaker 2 (13:23):
Well, I think number one, you know, life experience. You
understand that you got to play the hand that you're dealt,
number one. But number two, you know, maintain perspective, keep
it in perspective. So maybe ten years ago, you know,
I would have been caught up in in what we
don't have instead of really reprising and rethinking about what
we do have and how we can make that work.
Speaker 3 (13:45):
You know.
Speaker 2 (13:45):
I think the other thing is is just learning that
that I have to adjust to what our team needs
from us, and whether that's you know, energy, whether that's
you know, being a being a hype man, whether that uh,
you know, as much as X's and O's, it's also
about presentation and production, and what they feel from me
(14:07):
is what as much as what they see from me.
And so you know that different players need different things,
and so I think my ability to adjust and be
flexible to what they respond to as opposed to just
being rigid and how I do things, I think that
that's changed, and I think it impacts different players in
different ways, you know, And and certainly I think you know,
(14:29):
from my standpoint, learning what that is and and and
and it's been different at various points throughout the year too,
and being flexible and being able to adjust to that.
But I think more than anything, you know, it's just
understanding that that we've got to control what we can
control and how we put one foot in front of
the other, and how we approach the day to day
in terms of putting the players that we have on
(14:49):
the floor in the position to be success, be successful.
And you know, maybe ten years ago I might got
I might have got caught up in some of those
things that we couldn't control and have not been or
would I have been able to lead a group like
this in the way that I am now.
Speaker 1 (15:04):
And the response that you would like to see tonight
in terms of what's going to tell you early on
how the night's going to go would be what from
your team.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
I want to see it's be aggressive. I want to
see us attack of pain. I want to see us
get to.
Speaker 3 (15:17):
The rim, get to the foul line.
Speaker 2 (15:19):
I don't want to see hesitation and taking shots in
decision making. I want to see you know, active and aggressive,
you know, dictating on the defensive end of the floor.
I want to see that energy. I want to see
that attention to detail. I want to see that fire,
competitive fire that our team has shown, you know all
season long. Look, I mean the reality is the pressures
not on us right like we I want them to
go out and I want them to play hard.
Speaker 3 (15:39):
I want them to play together. I want them to
play free.
Speaker 1 (15:42):
It's pretty special, though, isn't it. I Mean, it's an
awesome night outside, it's a great sports calendar, it's a
great time in Indianapolis. Chad by Cannon talked to yesterday
about the fact that winning has become contagious amongst the
franchises in this town and collegiately and everything else. It's
going to be a pretty big atmosphere down there tonight.
I know you've got to be excited about it.
Speaker 3 (16:01):
I'm absolutely excited.
Speaker 2 (16:02):
You know, this city has been waiting a long time
to have playoff games in our home arena in the
w NBA calendar and w NBA season, and now being
able to do it in the semi finals is a
huge opportunity. We know that they're gonna they're gonna show up.
We know that they're gonna show out, and we're gonna
we're gonna lean on them, you know, to give us
that added edge, to give us that added adrenaline tonight.
Speaker 1 (16:22):
Coach Stephanie White, appreciate it as always. We look forward
to talking to you again. All right, all right, thank you,
best to luck tonight. Coach Stephanie White. Game number three
tonight between the Fever and the Las Vegas Aces.
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