INDIANAPOLIS — They say if you don’t have anything nice to say, it is better to not say anything at all.
That holds especially true when you’re the coach of a WNBA team and risk being fined if you speak ill of the officials during your postgame news conference.
So when asked about a controversial second-quarter no-call during Wednesday’s 88-75 loss to the Golden State Valkyries, one in which Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark hit the deck hard following a collision with Kiah Stokes underneath the basket, Fever coach Stephanie White kept her answer nice and succinct: “They said Caitlin initiated the contact.”
That’s all they said?
“That’s all they said,” she continued. “She seems to always be initiating the contact.”
Buy 2026 Indiana Fever tickets!
IndyStar Fever insider Chloe Peterson — noted co-host of Fever Insider LIVE (next episode Sunday at 11 a.m. EST) — followed up a few minutes later and as she began her question, a wry smile began forming across White’s face.
You mentioned Caitlin always seems to initiate the contact. What did you see in the officiating overall tonight or just in general?
“Chloe, I’m trying to not get fined,” White said. “Again, all I’ll say is we just keep asking for consistency.”
Neither White nor Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase were pleased with officiating throughout the game.
From the home team’s perspective, the no-call on Clark was especially egregious.
“I got kneed right in the quad,” a still-fuming Clark said. “That hurts. The ref can’t miss that. And then I have to play with a contusion in my leg the rest of the game. It’s ridiculous. You can’t miss calls like that.”
Follow Brian Haenchen on Twitter at @Brian_Haenchen. Get IndyStar’s Indiana Fever and Caitlin Clark coverage sent directly to your inbox with our Caitlin Clark Fever newsletter. Subscribe to IndyStar TV: Fever for in-depth analysis, behind-the-scenes coverage and more.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: All Fever coach Stephanie White wants is consistency from the refs … and to not get fined
Reporting by Brian Haenchen, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Brian Haenchen, Indianapolis Star | USA TODAY Network
