Indiana Fever hearth Christie Sides — might Stephanie White be her alternative?

The WNBA coach firing spree continued on Sunday morning, with the Indiana Fever saying they’ve parted methods with head coach Christie Sides after two seasons. Sides helped lead the Fever to a 20-20 file and the group’s first playoff berth since 2016.

“We’re extremely grateful to Coach Sides for embracing the problem of main us by way of an integral transition interval during the last two seasons, whereas additionally positioning us nicely for future progress,” stated Fever President of Basketball Operations Kelly Krauskopf.

Sides turns into the sixth WNBA head coach to be fired this offseason, that means that just about half of the league’s groups at present have head teaching vacancies.

The Los Angeles Sparks let Curt Miller go on September twenty fourth, and the Chicago Sky fired Teresa Weatherspoon only a few days later. In October alone, the Atlanta Dream fired Tanisha Wright, the Dallas Wings fired Latricia Trammell, and the Mystics fired Eric Thibault. As well as, the Aces, Wings, and Mystics all now have common supervisor vacancies. It’s additionally attainable that extra bulletins are in retailer.

Within the official press launch, the Fever reiterated the need to win a championship.

“Whereas selections like these are by no means simple, it’s also crucial that we stay daring and assertive within the pursuit of our targets, which incorporates maximizing our expertise and bringing one other WNBA championship again to Indiana,” stated Krauskopf. “Coach Sides was an unbelievable consultant of the Fever and our neighborhood, and we want her nothing however success sooner or later.”

Just a few hours after her firing was introduced, Sides turned to Twitter to reply, merely writing: “Depart it higher than you discovered it.”

The Christie Sides dismissal doesn’t come as a shock largely due to the actual fact it was beforehand reported by the Annie Costabile of the Chicago Solar-Occasions that Connecticut Solar head coach Stephanie White was in dialog with each the Fever and the Sky about her future.

Of observe, White’s roots in Indiana run deep. She grew up within the state and went to highschool in West Lebanon, Indiana, earlier than changing into a school basketball star star at Purdue. She’s additionally lengthy been concerned with the Fever group; she performed on the staff from 2000 to 2004, and was an assistant on the Fever from 2011 to 2014, together with after they received the championship in 2012.

As well as, becoming a member of the Fever would give her the prospect to teach the earlier two Rookie of the Years in Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston. White can be identified for being a prolific defensive coach, which is the a part of the sport the Fever struggled with most final season.

At her end-of-season press convention, White didn’t deal with the rumors of her departure, explaining that she was within the midst of a household emergency that was taking precedence.

“My precedence is my household proper now, actually — simply being right here for my household, getting by way of this,” White stated when requested about studies she was in talks with different franchises. “That’s my precedence.”

White was the 2023 Coach of the 12 months, and has led the Solar to a 55-25 file these previous two seasons. However, her contract runs by way of the 2025 season. Nonetheless, Costabile studies that regardless of the contract state of affairs, White is poised to have the choice to depart if she so choses.

“Many are questioning how that may be when White is underneath contract with the Solar by way of the 2025 season,” writes Costabile. “The reason is easy: White is the most effective coach within the league, and candidates of her caliber will all the time have choices.”

The Fever would doubtless have to supply a big wage to lure White to Indiana. Because it at present stands, each the Las Vegas Aces’ Becky Hammon and the Phoenix Mercury’s Nate Tibbetts make seven-figure salaries as two of the league’s highest-paid coaches.

Hiring selections will doubtless be made within the subsequent few weeks, with the draft lottery arising on November seventeenth, and the Golden State Valkyries growth draft arising on December sixth. Proper now, it stays to be seen whether or not coaches will largely be reshuffled, or whether or not a brand new slew of head coaches will get their alternative.