Stephanie White couldn’t cover her enthusiasm at her introductory press convention for the Indiana Fever. Past her in depth ties to the group and the area, White is entering into a very thrilling function as the top coach of a gifted younger staff, led by the final two rookies of the yr, Aliyah Boston and Caitlin Clark.
It was Clark’s historic rookie season that vaulted the Fever into the subsequent section of staff constructing and prompted the franchise to hunt out a coach of White’s pedigree — one who may make Indiana a championship contender. White has already been effusive in her reward of the Fever guard, suggesting that Clark could possibly be the best level guard of all time and that her No. 22 (which was additionally White’s quantity as an Indiana participant from 2000-2004) gained’t ever be worn by one other Fever participant. Clark was already the most effective gamers within the league earlier than White arrived in Indianapolis, however a major function can be additional growing Clark.
GO DEEPER
Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever championship timeline accelerated by sudden teaching change
Right here’s how she’ll attempt to do it:
• White’s need to scale back Clark’s ball dominance has emerged as a theme. Though Clark was prolific as a passer and scorer, carrying each duties was a heavy weight. A 2025 aim can be to scale back that burden. Which means taking part in Clark for fewer minutes but additionally experimenting together with her function.
“Serving to her anticipate what’s going to be coming her manner, making an attempt to maneuver her round just a little bit extra on the ground so she’s not fairly as simply predictable in what motion’s occurring,” White mentioned.
• Trying again at White’s earlier two seasons in Connecticut, a lot of the facilitating got here from Alyssa Thomas within the frontcourt, which allowed the Solar to spring their shooters off the ball in quite a lot of methods. No different ahead within the league can match Thomas’ playmaking, however Boston and NaLyssa Smith have sufficient passing capacity to duplicate one among Connecticut’s favourite units.
The Solar typically began possessions with Thomas on the prime of the important thing, and a guard or wing operating off of a stagger from the nook to then setting a display screen for Thomas in the course of the courtroom. The staggered screens already put the protection in a bind to start out the play, and if Clark had been the backcourt participant coming, that will put extra stress on defenders to navigate the screens to remain connected. Even when the protection managed that, the consequence could be the ballhandler in a position to rumble her manner via the paint. Smith appears ideally suited to that function.
That play is one among many examples of Connecticut stacking actions on prime of actions. Take a look at this possession from opening evening of 2024 when three separate screens led to a pick-and-roll for Ty Harris and Thomas. Presumably, the protection wouldn’t go below if Clark acts because the ballhandler, however with all of the house cleared on that facet of the ground, the screen-setter would a minimum of have a simple roll to the basket.
Extra @ConnecticutSun stacking actions
Drag by ONO.
AT swings after which they set a stagger for Dijonai.
AT units a large pin for Ty Harris.
Empty nook PnR with Thomas & Ty.
The Indiana protection goes below and that’s an excessive amount of airspace to provide Ty Harris = Ty 3. pic.twitter.com/g8tq4llrHX— Evin Gualberto (@evin_gual) May 15, 2024
• White has expressed how impressed she is by Boston’s passing within the half courtroom. A number of of the Solar’s layered units had been meant to end in a giant catching the ball on the elbow, the place Boston (mimicking Brionna Jones) may then direct the motion from the publish. Indiana has nice cutters, particularly Kelsey Mitchell and Lexie Hull, for Boston to search out from that setup within the elbow. Once more, the concept is Clark factoring into the play by drawing her defender past the 3-point line however not required to create the scoring likelihood.
After all, the mix of drag screens, pin-downs, and flares may all be decoys to ultimately get Clark the ball anyway, albeit with the chance to assault a shifted protection somewhat than a set one.
“We are able to get to the identical motion on the second or third facet,” White mentioned. “We are able to get to it after a primary or second motion, with the ability to transfer her round just a little bit extra.”
White famous that Clark wants so as to add power, which might help in all the targets she has laid out for the star guard. Energy ought to assist Clark’s consistency on her jumper and her sturdiness down the stretch of video games — she shot 31.3 % on 3s in clutch conditions in comparison with 34.4 % total. It may additionally make her a greater screener if she will generate extra contact, and shooters already make the deadliest screeners as a result of defenders don’t wish to go away them.
• Clark’s primary space of enchancment, one which White has coached to nice impact in Connecticut the final two years, can be centered on protection. Clark has been a non-factor on that finish, and a participant that the Solar even tried to hunt. Of their first-round playoff sequence, Connecticut commonly ran the offense via the perimeter participant Clark was defending and located a sequence of wide-open 3-pointers on the wing when Clark was unable to shut out.
Throughout the 2024 season, 5 of the highest 20 gamers in defensive win shares got here from the Solar, with Marina Mabrey, who arrived midseason, simply lacking the lower. A White-coached staff will demand extra defensive accountability, even from Clark. Success would require being “just a little extra tough-minded staff on the defensive finish of the ground.”
White has confirmed to be among the many extra adaptable coaches within the WNBA throughout her latest tenure. After Jones was misplaced for the 2023 season, she pivoted to a small-ball lineup, utilizing Thomas basically as some extent middle. The following yr, Connecticut went again to the double-big look however nonetheless had the pliability to downsize when needed.
In Indiana, White’s creativity gained’t be essential to hold the Fever afloat. Her No. 1 precedence can be to maximise a deeper roster with extra expertise and get essentially the most out of Clark.
(Pictures of Caitlin Clark and Stephanie White: Jesse D. Garrabrant / NBAE through Getty Photos, Chris Coduto / Getty Photos)