After the Indiana Fever-Chicago Sky game last Saturday, Fever coach Stephanie White appeared to defend DiJonai Carrington’s hard foul against Sophie Cunningham, recognizing the competitive edge of the Sky guard on defense. Three days later, White appeared to do an about-face, claiming in a pre-game interview that she “didn’t see the play in real time” and making it clear that she stands by her Fever players.
White’s latest remarks drew the ire of Stephen A. Smith, who blasted the Fever coach on Wednesday’s episode of “The Stephen A. Smith Show.”
“What do you mean, you didn’t see the play? What, are you not watching? We saw it. You’re coaching the game. Up and down the court, it’s your job to coach the game, watch the game. How did you not see the play?”
Smith then claimed that the fans in Indiana have turned on White because she has mishandled the “tense” situation surrounding her team.
“There are folks in Indiana at a home game booing you. You ain’t the road team, you the home team! You the home coach, and they’re booing you!”
SAS added that Caitlin Clark and Sophie Cunningham choosing to speak up for their coach is “not enough” to save White from the backlash she’s now facing.
For what it’s worth, Cunningham made it clear on Tuesday that she was “good” with White, despite the remarks made towards Carrington.
“Feels Very Performative”: Analyst Criticizes Stephanie White for Heated Pregame Rant
Another pundit who took aim at Stephanie White was Fox News’ Tomi Lahren, who claimed that the Fever coach wasn’t being authentic with her pregame tirade on Tuesday.
According to Lahren, White’s intense emotion in that rant wasn’t borne out of concern for Cunningham’s well-being.
“She’s more upset at the reaction than she is about what happened to her own player. She’s mad that she’s being questioned about it. She’s mad that people are saying things about her and she’s expressing that. To tell people to go to hell and to slam your fists on the table, it feels very performative to me.”
Lahren also called for coaches like White to “protect the legitimacy of the league” instead of focusing on “the antics.”
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