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Despite earning the #6 seed in the WNBA playoffs in 2024, the Indiana Fever were left disappointed by their quick first-round exit at the hands of the Connecticut Sun. Returning to the playoffs in Caitlin Clark's rookie season wasn't good enough for the Fever franchise; after an eight-year absence from the postseason, Indiana is intent on getting as many cracks at the championship as possible.
To that end, the Fever fired head coach Christie Sides and replaced her with Sun coach Stephanie White, who played NCAA basketball in Indiana and once served as an assistant coach for the Fever. With the highly-regarded White back "home", the Fever will harbor legitimate championship aspirations in 2025 with a core headlined by Clark and center Aliyah Boston.
Fever fill out White's staff with a curious hire
The Fever on Wednesday announced Austin Kelly as a new assistant on White's staff. He will Karima Christmas-Kelly, who is returning from Sides' staff to aid White in her first season as Indiana's head coach.
Notice how Austin and Karima have the same last name? That's because they are a married couple, and a prominent WNBA podcaster has said he's never seen anything like it in professional sports, let alone the W -- a league that is trying to change its image amidst Clark's entry into the pro ranks.
"I've seen a lot of weird things in professional sports," Mike Walker said. "I haven't seen this."
The hires immediately raise questions about whether the Fever engaged in a fair and open process to fill out White's staff. A controversy like that is probably the last thing Indiana wants as it charts a course to title contention in the years to come, but there comes a point (and a school of thought) where all press is good press.
Meanwhile, Clark has enjoyed an offseason of golfing and watching basketball as opposed to playing it -- as he did nearly year round from 2023 to 2024. The WNBA Rookie of the Year set a new mark for ing excellence with a first-year player record of 8.4 assists per game in her debut season, and she is expected to push toward MVP contention in year two -- with the help of a new coaching staff.