Indiana Fever's New Era with Stephanie White, Kelly Krauskopf

Summary

Summary of "Indiana Fever's New Era with Stephanie White, Kelly Krauskopf"

Episode: Indiana Fever's New Era with Stephanie White, Kelly Krauskopf
Release Date: November 5, 2024
Host(s): Ben Pickman and Sabrina Merchant
Guests: Stephanie White (Head Coach), Kelly Krauskopf (President of Basketball and Business Operations)

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1. Introduction: Setting the Stage for a New Era

The episode kicks off with hosts Ben Pickman and Sabrina Merchant introducing a special segment focused on the Indiana Fever's recent organizational changes. They highlight the commencement of the women's college basketball season juxtaposed with the ongoing WNBA coaching carousel, setting the context for their in-depth discussion with key figures from the Fever organization.

2. Hiring Stephanie White: Process and Significance

Discussion Highlights:

• Initiation of Hiring Process: Kelly Kraskopf recounts how the opportunity to hire Stephanie White arose unexpectedly. Upon learning of White's availability, Kraskopf swiftly initiated contact, leveraging her existing relationship and White's agent's input.

  "It was around the same time, I think, that we notified Christy. We had made a decision internally that that was likely going to be something we were going to do."
  — Kelly Kraskopf (06:25)

• Natural Fit and Organizational DNA: Stephanie White emphasizes her deep-rooted connection to the Indiana Fever, highlighting her history with the team and her alignment with the organization's values and aspirations.

  "This franchise is a part of my DNA... the stars align and there's not very many times in life where you can say the stars aligned."
  — Stephanie White (08:03)

3. Building a Defensive Culture

Discussion Highlights:

• Foundation of Defensive Expectations: White outlines the importance of establishing defense as a core component of the team's identity.

  "This is going to be a part of our DNA... a collective team defensive mindset."
  — Sabrina Merchant discussing Stephanie White's vision (10:40)

• Incremental Improvements: The strategy involves making gradual changes to enhance defensive stops without disrupting the team's existing offensive flow.

  "It's not going to stop everything and we're not going from the bottom to the top right away."
  — Sabrina Merchant (11:00)

4. Player Development: Focus on Caitlin Clark and Aaliyah Boston

Discussion Highlights:

• Enhancing Caitlin Clark's Performance: Sabrina Merchant discusses the need for Clark to build strength and diversify her playstyle to reduce predictability and manage her workload effectively.

  "She's got to get stronger... being more intentional about how they get her the ball."
  — Sabrina Merchant (12:23)

• Utilizing Aaliyah Boston's Skills: The conversation shifts to leveraging Boston's abilities as a passer and facilitator, ensuring she complements Clark's game effectively.

  "Aaliyah Boston opened my eyes this year to how good of a passer and facilitator she is."
  — Sabrina Merchant (12:23)

5. Assistant Coaches and Roster Building

Discussion Highlights:

• Strategic Hiring of Assistants: White expresses her intention to retain key assistant coaches like Kareem Christmas and potentially bring in Bri January from Connecticut, aiming to maintain consistency and institutional knowledge.

  "We will evaluate all of our options... absolutely. Would love to."
  — Sabrina Merchant (15:30)

• Organizational Continuity: The importance of having a cohesive coaching staff that aligns with the team's long-term vision is emphasized, ensuring seamless integration of new strategies.

  "There's all of this institutional knowledge that Lyn Dunn and Kelly Kraskopf and Steph White can tap into."
  — Sabrina Merchant (34:11)

6. Organizational Strategy and Legacy

Discussion Highlights:

• Staying Ahead in a Changing Landscape: Kraskopf discusses the proactive measures the organization is taking to navigate the upcoming Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) changes and impending free agency.

  "We want to set up really a strategy and a vision for your identity."
  — Kelly Kraskopf (19:15)

• Leveraging Legacy for Future Success: Stephanie White draws parallels with successful franchises like the Las Vegas Aces, emphasizing the blend of nostalgia and forward-thinking to foster a winning culture.

  "It's fascinating to see if they can capture a similar sort of nostalgia, but also just getting the best talent together in Indiana."
  — Stephanie White (32:01)

7. Future Outlook: Managing Uncertainty and Building for Success

Discussion Highlights:

• Capitalizing on Current Talent: With key players like Clark and Boston on rookie contracts, the Fever are positioned to build a competitive team while managing financial flexibility.

  "The whole world is kind of your oyster... just give De'Jana Bonner a call."
  — Stephanie White (30:19)

• Balancing Past and Future: The organization aims to honor its rich history while strategically assembling a roster poised for immediate and sustained success.

  "This franchise has fresh faces and people who are leading it... bridging those gaps together."
  — Ben Pickman (32:01)

8. Conclusion: Embracing a New Chapter

The episode concludes with reflections on the unique position of the Indiana Fever in the WNBA landscape, acknowledging both the challenges and opportunities ahead. The hosts and guests express optimism about the team's direction under Stephanie White's leadership and the strategic initiatives in place to drive success.

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Notable Quotes:

• "This franchise is a part of my DNA... the stars align and there's not very many times in life where you can say the stars aligned."
  — Stephanie White (08:03)

• "We're not going to reinvent the wheel... we're going to continue to build on that and we're going to continue to develop the players that we have."
  — Sabrina Merchant (20:33)

• "The whole world is kind of your oyster... maybe you give De'Jana Bonner a call."
  — Stephanie White (30:19)

Key Takeaways:

• Strategic Leadership: The hiring of Stephanie White signifies a return to the Fever's roots, emphasizing continuity and strategic growth.

• Defensive Reinforcement: Building a robust defensive culture is a priority, aimed at complementing the team's offensive strengths.

• Player-Centric Development: Focused efforts on player development, particularly for star players like Caitlin Clark, to optimize performance and longevity.

• Organizational Resilience: Proactive strategies to navigate upcoming league changes, ensuring the Fever remain competitive and attractive to top talent.

• Legacy and Innovation: Balancing the rich history of the franchise with innovative approaches to team building and fan engagement.

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Conclusion:

The Indiana Fever are embarking on a promising new era under the leadership of Stephanie White and Kelly Kraskopf. With a focus on strategic hiring, defensive excellence, and player development, the organization is well-positioned to navigate the evolving WNBA landscape. Embracing both its storied past and forward-looking strategies, the Fever aim to solidify their status as a powerhouse in women's basketball.

Transcript

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[Ben Pickman]

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[Sabrina Merchant]

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[Ben Pickman]

For the athletic I'm Ben Pickman and this is the Athletic Women's Basketball Show. Welcome to the Athletic Women's Basketball show and we have a special episode today, a little bonus podcast if you will. We know that the women's college basketball season is here. It has begun on Monday afternoon, but the WNBA coaching carousel is still spinning. And so Sabrina Merchant and I, you know, we promise to bring you the latest news and interviews with key figures all across the sport. And we have done just that in this podcast. This episode has two parts. The first is our conversation with new Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White and president of basketball and business operations Kelly Kraskopf. And our second is Sabrina and I discussing our reaction to that conversation and to their press conference and the current state of the Indiana Fever. We'll have more on the coaching carousel talk, but we want to give you this conversation first and a little bit of breakdown. So here's our conversation first with Steph and Kelly Kraskopf. So, Kelly, we figure the best place to start this conversation was to think about when you guys all started this conversation, and you alluded to it a little bit in your press conference. But we were just hoping, like, when did you learn that Steph was gonna be available? And just how did the Fever. How did you guys proceed from there as this process went along?

[Kelly Kraskopf]

Well, I learned that she was gonna be available. Available, I don't know, several days ago, a week ago, actually, when I read like everybody else that Steph wasn't in her exit interview thing and she had a family thing. You know, Steph and I go way back, so it's not unusual for us to make contact. I contact her, I was like, is everything okay? And, you know, she told me and had a family situation. So I called. Then I. I had to touch base with her agent because he's somebody that I've worked with quite a bit and making the rounds of calls. And he mentioned he also represents players. And he mentioned to me, he said, you know, Stephanie might be leaving Connecticut, and we'll let you know. And I was like, oh, keep me posted. That's good. That's interesting information. So he let me know several days later, and we were able to have an actual conversation. And once she was, you know, given the permission to speak with teams, so it kind of moved quickly after that. You know, we were. It was around the same time, I think, that we notified Christy. You know, we had made a decision internally that that was likely going to be something we were going to do. I had, you know, assembled some names of some experienced coaches that we were looking at, but Stephanie wasn't on that list because she was working for Connecticut at the time. So, you know, it was just a really. I call it a fortuitous moment because it all literally happened probably within 48 hours of learning that she was available and having the opportunity to talk and kind of. It went from there.

[Steph White]

So, Steph, when you first realized that this was a possibility. And you had your first conversation with Kelly. What do you remember about that particular, you know, back and forth?

[Sabrina Merchant]

I think I remember asking Kelly, like, is this for real? Like, is this legit? Like, is this a possibility? You know, it's, it's, it's just a no brainer for me. I've said it a lot. But this franchise is a part of my DNA. You know, being on the first team, being a part of a staff that won the first championship. A lot of firsts right here in this organization in my home state. State that loves basketball, a state that loves women's basketball in particular as well. It just was a no brainer. And so when the opportunity, you know, presented itself, it felt so comfortable. It felt like it was meant to be, you know, professionally, certainly one of the best organizations, you know, in the league. We have always had everything that we've needed for success here with Indiana. And that starts with Herb Simon and the Simon family. There's no question about it. Kelly coming back and the opportunity to work with her, always maintain contact with Dunn as well, who has been a mentor of mine and this young, exciting team, I mean, who wouldn't want to coach them? You know, certainly. And then, and then personally, just being up the road from my family in Nashville and my family that lives in Indiana, most of my family is still in Indiana. My sisters, my mom and aunt as well. The stars align and there's not very many times in life where you can say the stars aligned. I'm really grateful and excited about this opportunity.

[Ben Pickman]

You know, you kind of talk about the perfect reunion and all these forces, like coming back together, I guess for you, Kelly, again, like, how is the step that you have hired this time around different than the one you hired as a head coach in 2015?

[Kelly Kraskopf]

Well, she's wearing reading glasses now.

[Sabrina Merchant]

Yes, yes, I am. I'm wearing glasses too.

[Kelly Kraskopf]

So. No, look, you know, I think what I've seen in Steph through the years, obviously, I mean, it hasn't been too long, but long enough. You know, first of all, she's a student of the game. You know, she's always learning. I mean, she wasn't in my office 10 minutes today and she's already talking about all these things that she wanted to do and new picking. I also, I don't know, I was like, just go for it. Do whatever you want to do. But anybody that's a student of the game, coaches that want to be better, they love the game.

[Sabrina Merchant]

They're always learning.

[Kelly Kraskopf]

They're picking People's brains. I mean, she's been calling in the NBA, spending a lot of time watching those games, taking notes, talking to those coaches, talking to coach. That's. That's how, you know, you know, look, we all have to get better. I've improved. I'm different than I. Than I was when I left here. I've learned a lot, and I think that's going to bode well for where we're headed.

[Steph White]

Yeah. Speaking of just improvement, you mentioned this in the press conference, Steph, about needing to get better on defense. And coming from a team where that was basically your hallmark in Connecticut. What have you learned about building a defensive culture that you can apply here in Indiana?

[Sabrina Merchant]

I think, first and foremost, just laying the foundation of what the expectations are that this is going to be a part of our DNA, what we're going to do. The other piece is helping them understand, look, good offense always beats good defense. Right?

[Ben Pickman]

So.

[Sabrina Merchant]

So we're just going to try to get them to take the shots that we want. Get who to take the shots that we want?

[Unknown Speaker]

Right.

[Sabrina Merchant]

And then we got to be able to finish plays. And so we're not going to stop everything and we're not going to go from. From, you know, the bottom to the top right away. It's just making incremental changes. But on those nights where the shots aren't falling, or on those nights where we're not able to get and play at the pace and the rhythm and the timing that we want, we've got to find ways to win games. And oftentimes when you see in those clutch moments in ball games, it's about getting defensive stops, it's about getting that one or two big stops. It's about stringing two or three together to give yourself an opportunity to win. And so we're going to build confidence in that, you know, through our reps, we're going to build confidence in that with one another. It's not going to be on any one individual. It's going to be collectively team defensive mindset that this is going to be a part of what we do. Look, there's obvious offensive talent. The pace, the way they shoot the ball, you know, the way we're going to continue to spread the floor. We're probably going to try to get a little bit more creative in some of the things that we do. So the offense isn't. Isn't going to be a problem. It's just now we got to buy into being a solid defensive team and making teams lives difficult.

[Ben Pickman]

Obviously, you talk about the bookends, right? Aaliyah Boston and Caitlin Clark. For Caitlin in particular, like, she's coming off one of, if not the greatest rookie season, you know, in WNB history, certainly. And with this kind of accelerated timeline and just the expectation of winning right now, just what do you see that she needs to get better at immediately? And how do you help her make those next steps?

[Sabrina Merchant]

Well, I think she's got to get stronger. You know, she was just in the weight room earlier, so I was talking to her about getting swole. She's got to get stronger. I think, you know, for us. Helping her anticipate what's going to be coming her way, you know, 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. We can get to the same action on the second or third side. We can get to it after a first or second action. You know, being able to move her around a little bit more, being able to give her a break, you know, having consistent rotation, I think is going to help her, too. It's going to be a longer season with four more games. You know, as you get into playoffs and you're playing teams in the playoffs and in a series, you know, all of those things matter. And I think, you know, utilizing everybody else in a different way. Aaliyah Boston opened my eyes this year to how good of a passer and facilitator she is, and we can utilize her in those areas just as well as we can use her with her back to the basket or roll into the rim. And then I think, continuing to find the pieces around those two. And Kelsey Mitchell. Kelsey Mitchell had the best year of her career, not just in terms of a number standpoint, but an efficiency standpoint, because she had other players on the floor who were able to complement her game, and she was able to just. Just play and shine. And so being a little bit more creative in how we use her with Caitlin, I think is going to be important, and finding those other pieces that complement them and make their lives easier.

[Steph White]

It has to be fairly rare to come and coach a team after beating them in the playoffs the year before, but I imagine that makes the transition a little bit easier for you. You've been thinking about them a lot.

[Sabrina Merchant]

They've been on my mind all season because they were so scary. You know, we were fortunate to get them early. You know, I think three times. We had them three times in the first, you know, month of the season. And it's a team that got better as the year went on. You know, I'm echoing what Kelly said. I thought Christy and her staff did a really good job of continuing to help this team grow, of staying positive, of developing players. And they were a different team at the end of the year. And they were scary team because of the way they can shoot the ball and because of the way they spread the floor. But we also knew where our areas were going to be, that we could attack them on both ends of the floor, offensively and defensively, and how we could expose them, how we could use our veteran leadership and our experience to our advantage. And look, we all know there's no substitute for experience. There's going to be growing pains. You know, it's not going to be that. It's. I think Detroit was the only one, right, that's. That's ever gone from, like, worst to first. Like, there's going to be growing pains. There are a lot of great teams and players in this league, and beating a team in a series is tough. And so learning how to do that, learning what kind of adjustments and tweaks you need to make, learning the mindset that it takes, understanding that those games in May and June are important when it comes to. In home court. You don't want to have to go on the road. You don't want to play on the road in the playoffs and not have home court. So all of those things that matter throughout the course of the season and being able to make sure that our players are aware of it, that we have a high attention to detail.

[Steph White]

I mean, just speaking of, like, all of the next steps you're going to have to take in terms of this process now that you're officially hired, do you have any idea, like, what the timeline is going to be for finding your assistant coaches? Any possibility that Austin and Karima could get united in Indiana?

[Sabrina Merchant]

Well, I'm hopeful for that. You know, certainly, I would love to bring my staff, I would love to keep Kareem on board. You know, Bri and Austin are both, you know, highly touted. You know, have interviewed for head coaching jobs as well, and I think ultimately, you know, part of our job as coaches, and this is. I learned this from. From Lynn, from. From Don. You know, being my mentor is to. To help prepare our assistant coaches to be head coaches. So for them to go through processes and. And figure out if there's a right opportunity for them is going to be important. You know, of course, I want to maintain consistency, and I want to bring them with me. So we're going to continue to have those conversations as well. Absolutely. Would love to. To work with Karima, who I coached here. You know, I know how hard it is to be away from your family. So if we could have those guys, you know, certainly in the same umbrella, that'd be great. But. But we'll do like, our due diligence, like we do all the time. Right. We'll evaluate all of our options, talk to a lot of people and see what the best fit for this moment in time is going to be.

[Ben Pickman]

It seems like you guys, there's so much talk about experience, whether that's all the legacies and lineages that, you know, link this group and this new core staff together. I guess for you, Kelly, like, when you talk about experience, we have the expansion draft coming up, and you kind of mentioned it in your presser. You used the phrase being able to get a player potentially in the expansion draft. I guess as someone who has been in expansion drafts in the past, just what are you hoping to get out of this one and this process?

[Kelly Kraskopf]

Well, you know, you never know. I mean, you know, we'll make a target list and, you know, if there's a trade out there that, that can help us look, we're going to explore it. We're going to be aggressive. But, you know, it starts with targeting, targeting players on teams that potentially you might be able to make a trade with Golden State. If there's a, if there's a player that's left unprotected, we won't know that list because it's not going to be public. But, you know, you, you're on the phone with them quite a bit and, you know, throwing out options, throwing out ideas, and, you know, sometimes they stick, sometimes they don't. If that, if nothing comes out of that, that' you know, we'll move into free agency and go from there.

[Ben Pickman]

From an organizational standpoint, building off of that, like, you guys have such an exciting young core. You obviously have a head coach that, you know, you're so happy is, is there. And Steph, just what else from like a Fever and Pacer sports and entertainment standpoint can you guys do to stay a step ahead of other franchises in the league? From the business side, from player experience, from front office hiring, like, how else do you guys, as Indiana continue to separate yourself from?

[Sabrina Merchant]

I think first and foremost, the landscape has changed so much in the last two years.

[Steph White]

Right.

[Sabrina Merchant]

And it's going to continue to change, especially now with talking about CBA and different adjustments and changes that might come from there. So I think we've got to have a lot of communication and find out what's going on right now. How can we continue to stay ahead of the curve? How can we? Certainly, when you think about making Indiana attractive to free agents, who wouldn't want to play with one of the best point guards in the game, who could arguably end up being the best to have ever played, Right. And could arguably end up having the best center that has ever played the game. Right. You think about the opportunity to play with them in a state that loves basketball, in sold out arenas, night in and night out in an area of the country that loves and celebrates what you bring to the table every single day. And then as we start to have conversations about what that looks like from an organizational standpoint to how we can stay ahead of the curve, much like we do from a coaching standpoint, like, let's think outside the box. What are some opportunities that we have for growth as a franchise? What are some enticing things for free agents that want to come in market and stay in market and play with these great players? And so we'll continue to bounce those things off the wall and try to get creative.

[Steph White]

I guess just in terms of that changing landscape is the fact that so much of the league is going to be free agents in 2026 and we don't even know what the CBA is going to look like. Did that prospect for change sort of motivate you to want to accelerate your timeline now, Kelly?

[Kelly Kraskopf]

100%, absolutely. You just nailed it. I mean, that's. It's all about year after next as well as next year. But, you know, we're. You want to set up really a strategy and a vision for your identity. And our head coach is part of that, our core group is part of that. And we are probably a little bit ahead of maybe where we thought we were. You know, when you have the talent that you have, you don't know, sometimes it can turn around real quick and sometimes it takes a little longer. But you have to be ready. And I want us to be pointed in the right direction. So when the biggest free agency year of the history of the league is going to be in 26. So, you know, we want to be positioned as a franchise that this is the place where, you know, they're on to something and this is a place where you can go and potentially, you know, achieve the highest level as you.

[Ben Pickman]

Look to achieve at the highest level. I guess we'll kind of close with this, Steph, like in a few months. Time you guys will take the court again and you'll be back, you know, on an Indiana Fever sideline, I guess. Just what does the brand of basketball you guys want to play look like? What excites you most about next season? And just how do you make sure that you guys are in as best a spot as you can be as you enter this new era with an accelerated timeline and just all the expectations that come with it?

[Sabrina Merchant]

Yeah, I think first and foremost, you know, we're not going to reinvent the wheel, so to speak. I mean, these players have great gifts and I think that you saw that throughout the course of this year. Playing fast pace, having some offensive freedom, shooting from the three point line. You know, having the spacing on the floor is going to be critical when you've got Aaliyah Boston in the middle and everything that she can do when she gets the ball in her hands. But maintaining pace and space, making sure the ball is moving, making sure we have lots of player movement, I think we can get a little bit more creative in how we go about utilizing this roster. So certainly we want to continue to work in that area. Our efficiency needs to be better. It was pretty good, but I think we can continue to be better and you know, depth, making sure that we have quality depth so that that can help with, with efficiency and rotations and then continuing to get better. I think we're going to see like a little more tough minded team on the defensive end of the floor. And biggest thing is the thing I loved most about watching this team was that they played with so much joy. They enjoyed playing the game of basketball, they enjoyed playing with one another. And we want that to be a high priority because when you play with joy and when you play a fun system, up tempo style, I mean you've seen on the Pacer side as well, fans love that, players love that. Everybody wants to be a part of it. It's engaging. And so we're going to continue with that and we're going to continue to build on that and we're going to continue to develop the players that we have, you know, in our franchise and within the system. And then we're going to add pieces, we're going to add pieces that help accentuate the players that we already have and that can fill some gaps that we might have.

[Ben Pickman]

I guess that's well said and real. Last question now. Have you talked with Caitlin about who the best number 22 in fever history is?

[Sabrina Merchant]

I don't think there's any doubt who the best number 22 in fever history is it's not this one. There may not be another one.

[Kelly Kraskopf]

That's right.

[Sabrina Merchant]

There may not be another one. I told her, though I think my arms were a little more jacked than hers in those pictures. So we got to get her in the weight room. I saw that.

[Ben Pickman]

I guess we'll have to see in a couple months time how all that weight room work breaks out. So appreciate you guys jumping on and making some time and great to chat and look forward to chatting down the road.

[Sabrina Merchant]

Thank you.

[Ben Pickman]

Thanks, guys.

[Steph White]

Yeah, thanks so much.

[Ben Pickman]

So, Sabrina, you've just heard this press conference and we've just talked with Steph White and Kelly Kraskoff about, you know, all things Indiana Fever. I guess. What is your biggest takeaway? What's the biggest thing you feel like you've learned from all that you've kind of heard over those sessions?

[Steph White]

I think one thing I really wanted to learn was whether Indiana decided to move on from Christie sides because Steph White was available or if it was a decision that they had come to regardless of who the next coach of the Fever was going to be. And it seems like the decision to move on from size was something that was independent of Steph White becoming, you know, the next coach of the Indiana Fever. Just based on our conversation with Kelly, they had other candidates in mind. You know, they had realized that what had taken place this season on the Chrissy sides, albeit an improvement for the Indiana Fever, was not what they needed for the next step of this franchise. So it kind of goes in line with what you wrote about last week, Ben, about just the timeline changing for the Fever.

[Ben Pickman]

Exactly. And Kelly talked a little bit about this during her press conference too, is just that the timeline for the Indiana Fever has changed. And the reality of professional basketball in both the WNBA and the NBA is that transcendent stars change timelines and they accelerate timelines. And that is true across both leagues. As you mentioned, I wrote about this when, you know, the Christie size decision was made public. Like, here are some examples. In the NBA, LeBron James's first head coach, Paul Silas, he was there for just a season and a half of LeBron's tenure. Michael Jordan's first head coach was with MJ for just one year in the W. Candace Parker's first head coach in the pro game, Michael Cooper, he lasted just two seasons. Diana Taurasi's first head coach, two seasons. Sue Bird, one season. Brianna Stewart, a year and a half. Like these changes happen all the time. And, you know, it's kind of a Reality, I guess, of a lot of these situations, like Christie Sides undoubtedly left the Fever in a better place than she found it. And she tweeted just that. And Kelly Kraskop acknowledged that, too. But, like, you know, in some ways, Christie seems like a little bit of a casualty of context or circumstance. And the reality is that the timelines changed and situations change. And I think that is really the big thing that led us to kind of where we at we are at right now with the Indiana Fever.

[Steph White]

And speaking of timelines changing, it's not just the Indiana Fever specific timeline with regards to Caitlin Clark and the massive success that she was in her rookie season. You think about the WNBA as a whole, and this is another thing that Kelly acknowledged, is that 2025 is kind of the last year of the WNBA as we know it in this iteration. Right. Like a new CBA could come into effect in 2026. It will come into effect. Sorry, because they did officially opt out at this point. I should stop talking about it as if it's a hypothetical. And basically every single veteran in the WNBA is going to be a free agent leading into 2026. So the makeup of the league, where people are going to be playing, two more expansion teams coming in in addition to Golden State this coming year, like just the entire landscape of the league is going to look so dramatically different than what it does now. So if you are the Indiana Fever and you have Caitlin Clark and Leah Boston and you have a team that you think can contend right now if you just make a couple tweaks, you kind of have to capitalize on this specific moment because you just don't know what things are going to look like a year from now.

[Ben Pickman]

You know, it certainly helps, though. Yes, there is uncertainty, but there does seem to be, you know, a foundation in place. And it's great that the Indiana Fever, you know, have this foundation built around two players who are still on rookie scale contracts. Right. We kind of talked about it in one of the coaching stories we wrote for last week that there are just two players signed, two contracts that are not rookies past 2026, but the Indiana past 2025. Excuse me, but the Indian Fever's core and Steph White used the phrase, it's bookended by Aaliyah Boston and Caitlin Clark. And so it is such a luxury that they have two young stars who, you know, are the foundation of this team, though they would also, of course, say Kelsey Mitchell is very much a part of that and she's coming off a career year as steph White talked about in our conversation, I guess, Sabrina, to you, like from a basketball standpoint, you wrote a little bit about what you thought Caitlin and the Fever need to do coming out of this season. Just what struck you about what you learned and, and what you think they're going to look like on court when next season begins.

[Steph White]

I think one thing that Steph White said that kind of resonated with me was just giving Caitlin a little bit less of a burden. You know, she had such an enormous minute total during the regular season. And despite the fact that the Fever also had Erica Wheeler on the roster, it was all Caitlin, all the time running that offense. And I do think that, you know, being more intentional about how they get her the ball, different ways to use her in the half court, all these things that Steph White talked about, it's going to be just really important in terms of keeping her at a peak over the entirety of the regular season. Because I think if you watch the Indiana Fever last year, they didn't peak during the playoffs. There was a moment, like I want to say two, three weeks before the regular season ended where it felt like they were playing their best basketball. And then maybe it was a function of the fact that like Kelsey Mitchell and Malia Boston and Lexi hall and Caitlin Clark were all playing 35 minutes a game, that they just sort of lost a bit of that energy. But I do think an acknowledgement that the regular season is not the end game here. Like they have to prepare for the playoffs. So that means, you know, using a backup point guard sometimes and like making sure Caitlin gets some rest during the regular season or just managing the course of those 44 games is going to be imperative. And I like that Steph brought that up immediately.

[Ben Pickman]

But I would say to that point, like, there's so much talk with this new Indiana Fever regime about history and legacy. And Steph White was a player, she's an all time great in the state of Indiana. She played for the Fever. She was an assistant with the Fever. She was previously a head coach of the Fever. Kelly Koskoff was with the fever for 15 plus, I think 17 years as their president in GM from like 2000 to 2017, and has been a part of, you know, Pacer sports and entertainment for basically like the last 20 some odd years. So there's such like a tie in connectivity there. But Steph White, when she was talking to us about experience, also acknowledged like kind of convincing and stressing to a team that those games in May and June, they matter just like Games in August, right? Because you think about this year's fever team, like how they got off to the slow start, the two and nine start, how, you know, the schedule obviously did not help them. But in some ways, like that slow start put them in a position where they then had to go on the road at Connecticut and play Stephanie White's Connecticut sun team. Like, if they get off to a better start, who knows, maybe they're the four seed. Like, who knows where they have kind of climbed up in the ranks. And yes, connectivity and cohesion and another year of this core playing together will make a difference, but there's also value in like, understanding that, yes, it is important to develop role players, bench players have other options to turn to. But getting that win in May makes a big difference down the line in September, too.

[Steph White]

Yeah, the word rotation kept coming up over and over again, right? Like, it's not just your stars, it's not just the bookends that you referred to. It is a full roster of pieces that have to contribute to that overall effort, which, you know, Indiana has a lot of flexibility to do that going forward. Like you mentioned that Caitlin Clark and Elliot Boston are both on rookie contracts. Even if Kelsey Mitchell ends up commanding a supermax deal, which she could as an unrestricted free agent, there is still a lot of money to fill in veteran role players around this core and, you know, just augment what they were trying to do when it kind of felt like at points in that Connecticut series, like sides is just throwing things at the wall, like trying to figure out who could, who can work beyond her bookends.

[Ben Pickman]

What do you think then, either in terms of approach or specific players, how do you think the Fever proceed to round out the roster from here?

[Steph White]

I think like the whole world is kind of your oyster, for lack of a better cliche here because anyone would want to play with Caitlin Clark and Leah Boston. I think just the game becomes so much easier for you when you're around the two of them. I just think they need some sort of wing combo forward type, you know, who can fill in the gaps, you know, in between Clark, Mitchell and Boston and you can attack that via trade. You know, they have a lot of young players, a lot of assets that they can use in a potential deal. You can attack that via free agency. You know, the thing is, like, if you're, if you're going with a one year window, like, maybe you give dejuana Bonner a column, be like, hey, you want to play power forward for the Indiana Fever for year, like that's, that's the thing you can do because you're in a situation where 2025, like, the expectations are to win now, right?

[Ben Pickman]

And I guess, you know, we'll have to see what transpires. But I do think, like, you could sense the energy. Like, you can sense the, you know, you just scroll up and down the fever social media channels. Like, there's like a joy that they are bringing out of getting, tying into the roots of the franchise's past. And I think, like, that is something we are definitely going to see in this next generation of like, yes, this franchise has fresh faces and people who are leading it. I mean, Steph White joked in our conversation like, that she's hoping that 22 never gets worn again in the NFever uniform because, like, that is how great Caitlin Clark will be. But there's also very much, like a remembrance of the foundation and the roots of the organization and like, that being at the core of what they're doing. And I think, you know, I think it's going to be really interesting and I think they're trying to be really intentional about, like, marrying those two things together in this next generation of Pacers and Fever basketball in Indianapolis.

[Steph White]

You know, it's interesting that, like, you mentioned, the intention to recapture the past while also building for the future. It reminds me a lot of what the Las Vegas Aces did a few years ago when Mark Davis bought the team and they had the reunions with all the former players on the Utah Stars and the San Antonio Stars and, you know, retire to jersey for the first time in Michelobaltra Arena. And you see that in the fact that they hired Becky Hammond, a former player on the team, to be their head coach. And they hired Natalie Woollen, a former player in the Utah era, to be the general manager. And they made it just like anyone who's ever donned this jersey in, like the past 20 years of the WNBA gets to be a part of this team going forward. And it obviously worked out swimmingly for the Las Vegas Aces in that particular decision making, you know, process. And I'm just fascinating to see if, like, they can capture a similar sort of nostalgia, but also just getting the best talent together in Indiana.

[Ben Pickman]

I mean, I think it's a safe bet we're going to see a lot of nostalgia plays, so to speak, this upcoming season with just a lot of Fever players, former players, former coaches coming back into the arena watching practices. We're going to hear the stories of guest speakers speaking to the team. Like, that feels like A really safe bet to me and one that I think, like, is important, frankly, like, for kind of the future of the wnba. Like, it's great that these franchises want to tap into their past. And, you know, the Fever might have picked up more fans this year than any other franchise around the league. Right.

[Steph White]

We don't need to say might. They did.

[Ben Pickman]

They did. With all the attention that they receive. And so the fact that, like, this next generation is going to include them, presumably, like, tapping into that pass and bridging those gaps together. Like, yes. We might see a lot of Steph White highlight reels, like, on every single broadcast that they play in. Because in every road arena, like, teams, opposing team broadcasts might bring up or probably will bring up that, like, she wore number 22 for the Indiana Fever, that she was a player there. And, like, we're going to see that highlight reel. So I hope she's, you know, I guess she'll be coaching, so she won't be watching it. But, like, we're all going to get used to seeing it. But it is really good that, like, they are trying to bridge these gaps together. I mean, we're going to see a lot of that. I see you smiling, Sabrina, about, like, just the prospect of bringing these two things together.

[Sabrina Merchant]

Yeah.

[Steph White]

I mean, we talked to Steph a little bit about assistant coaches. She mentioned wanting to potentially keep Kareem of Christmas. Kelly around, who was an assistant on Indiana this past season under Kristi Sides, played for Steph White when she was out of the Indiana Fever as a player. She mentioned Bri January, who was her lead assistant in Connecticut, potentially making the move with her to Indiana. Brie January, another Indiana Fever alum who was on the championship team in 2012. So there's all of this institutional knowledge that Lyn Dunn and Kelly Krauskoff and Steph White can tap into because they have been a part of basically every era of the Indiana Fever up until this point. And if you're one of those past players or past executives or past coaches, why wouldn't you want to be a part of what they're building now? Right. Like you mentioned, the energy, the excitement, like, this is to me, the most desirable free agency destination in the WNBA because of the organization, the fact that it is committed to the Fever side as strongly as the Pacer side over the last 25 years. And clearly they want to win now. And that's just. That's music to any Friesian's ears, in my opinion.

[Ben Pickman]

And I guess, like, we will see how it all turns out as they all say. But I think we can leave this part of the conversation here. Sabrina. We'll have a longer, more in depth conversation about Tyler Marsh going to the Chicago sky, the state of the coaching carousel, the state of the coaching market, and just kind of going into depth about some of our reporting. We'll get into that later, but we just kind of wanted to bring you a Indiana Fever specific bonus pod because so much has happened and you know you can hear from us and you can hear from the players and coaches and front office people that are making these key decisions. And so we hope you enjoyed both part one and part two of our conversation and come back tomorrow because as we said, the women's college basketball season is here and so Xena and Chantelle will be giving you a a first post game reaction to the action we have already seen. But for now, I'm Ben, that is Sabrina. Thank you for listening. Keep listening, keep learning, keep loving the game and we will talk to you soon.

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[Sabrina Merchant]

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[J]

Hey folks, it's Marc Maron from WTF. It's been more than 15 years now and I'm still talking to all kinds of people in my garage every week. Sometimes it's Bill Burr, sometimes it's Ariana Grande. Is she just looks at me because she's always going like, dad, it's not that big a deal.

[Sabrina Merchant]

Yeah.

[J]

I go, sorry, I lost my temper. I go, I still love you. You know, Daddy has issues.

[Unknown Speaker]

Are you afraid of it?

[J]

Of death?

[Sabrina Merchant]

Well, I don't know.

[J]

I think about it all the time.

[Sabrina Merchant]

How are we here already?

[J]

Listen to WTF with Marc Maron twice a week on your favorite podcast app. Or get more WTF with a WTF plus subscription. Just go to wtfpod.com and click on WTF Plus.

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[Sabrina Merchant]

Acast.com.