Stephanie White couldn’t disguise her keenness at her introductory press convention for the Indiana Fever. Past her intensive ties to the group and the patch, White is stepping right into a in particular thrilling function as the pinnacle tutor of a skilled younger group, led by way of the utmost two newcomers of the hour, Aliyah Boston and Caitlin Clark.
It was once Clark’s historical rookie season that vaulted the Fever into the nearest section of group construction and brought on the franchise to hunt out a tutor of White’s pedigree — person who may just assemble Indiana a championship contender. White has already been effusive in her proclaim of the Fever cover, suggesting that Clark might be the best level cover of all presen and that her Refuse. 22 (which was once additionally White’s quantity as an Indiana participant from 2000-2004) received’t ever be old by way of every other Fever participant. Clark was once already probably the most absolute best gamers within the league earlier than White arrived in Indianapolis, however a number one function might be additional creating Clark.
GO DEEPER
Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever championship timeline sped up by way of unexpected training exchange
Right here’s how she’ll aim to do it:
• White’s need to drop Clark’s ball dominance has emerged as a theme. Even supposing Clark was once prolific as a passer and scorer, sporting each tasks was once a bulky weight. A 2025 purpose might be to drop that burden. That suggests taking part in Clark for fewer mins but additionally experimenting along with her function.
“Helping her anticipate what’s going to be coming her way, trying to move her around a little bit more on the floor so she’s not quite as easily predictable in what action’s happening,” White stated.
• Having a look 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 various techniques. Refuse alternative ahead within the league can fit Thomas’ playmaking, however Boston and NaLyssa Smith have plethora passing skill to copy one among Connecticut’s favourite units.
The Solar continuously began possessions with Thomas on the supremacy of the important thing, and a cover or wing operating off of a stagger from the nook to next atmosphere a conceal for Thomas in the midst of the court docket. The staggered monitors already put the protection in a store to start out the play games, and if Clark have been the backcourt participant coming, that might put supplementary drive on defenders to navigate the monitors to stick connected. Even supposing the protection controlled that, the end result will be the ballhandler in a position to rumble her means during the paint. Smith turns out preferably fitted to that function.
That play games is one of the examples of Connecticut stacking movements on supremacy of movements. Have a look at this ownership from opening evening of 2024 when 3 independent monitors ended in a pick-and-roll for Ty Harris and Thomas. Possibly, the protection wouldn’t travel below if Clark acts because the ballhandler, however with all of the range cleared on that aspect of the ground, the screen-setter would a minimum of have a very easy roll to the basket.
Extra @ConnecticutSun stacking movements
Drag by way of ONO.
AT swings and next they all set a stagger for Dijonai.
AT units a large pin for Ty Harris.
Unoccupied nook PnR with Thomas & Ty.
The Indiana protection is going below and that’s excess airspace to present Ty Harris = Ty 3. pic.twitter.com/g8tq4llrHX— Evin Gualberto (@evin_gual) May 15, 2024
• White has expressed how inspired she is by way of Boston’s passing within the part court docket. A number of of the Solar’s layered units have been meant to lead to a gigantic catching the ball on the elbow, the place Boston (mimicking Brionna Jones) may just next direct the motion from the publish. Indiana has splendid cutters, in particular Kelsey Mitchell and Lexie Hull, for Boston to seek out from that setup within the elbow. Once more, the speculation is Clark factoring into the play games by way of drawing her defender past the 3-point form however now not required to form the scoring prospect.
In fact, the combo of drag monitors, pin-downs, and flares may just all be decoys to sooner or later get Clark the ball anyway, albeit with the chance to assault a shifted protection instead than a collection one.
“We can get to the same action on the second or third side,” White stated. “We can get to it after a first or second action, being able to move her around a little bit more.”
White famous that Clark wishes so as to add power, which might support in all the objectives she has laid out for the big name cover. Energy will have to aid Clark’s consistency on her jumper and her sturdiness ailing the stretch of video games — she shot 31.3 % on 3s in grasp statuses in comparison to 34.4 % total. It would additionally assemble her a greater screener if she will generate extra touch, and shooters already assemble the deadliest screeners as a result of defenders don’t need to let go them.
• Clark’s primary segment of development, person who White has coached to splendid impact in Connecticut the utmost two years, might be inquisitive about protection. Clark has been a non-factor on that finish, and a participant that the Solar even attempted to seek. Of their first-round playoff line, Connecticut frequently ran the offense during the perimeter participant Clark was once protecting and located a line of wide-open 3-pointers at the wing when Clark was once not able to similar out.
All over the 2024 season, 5 of the supremacy 20 gamers in defensive win stocks got here from the Solar, with Marina Mabrey, who arrived midseason, simply lacking the decrease. A White-coached group will call for extra defensive duty, even from Clark. Good fortune would require being “a little more tough-minded team on the defensive end of the floor.”
White has confirmed to be some of the extra adaptable coaches within the WNBA all over her fresh tenure. Next Jones was once misplaced for the 2023 season, she pivoted to a small-ball lineup, the use of Thomas necessarily as some degree middle. The nearest hour, Connecticut went again to the double-big glance however nonetheless had the versatility to downsize when important.
In Indiana, White’s creativity received’t be important to reserve the Fever afloat. Her Refuse. 1 precedence might be to maximise a deeper roster with extra ability and get probably the most out of Clark.
(Footage of Caitlin Clark and Stephanie White: Jesse D. Garrabrant / NBAE by means of Getty Pictures, Chris Coduto / Getty Pictures)
