Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White has had enough of the toxic online abuse plaguing the WNBA. After Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas revealed she'd been receiving death threats following a heated on-court incident with Caitlin Clark, White—who coached Thomas for two seasons in Connecticut—didn't mince words.
“First and foremost, it's absolutely unacceptable,” White said during Wednesday's media session, via Tony East. “I think as a league, as a whole, there has been so much more toxicity, racism, homophobia—nonsense. Hate nonsense. And it is absolutely unacceptable.”
Thomas was fined $1,000 and suspended one game for her role in the play, but White was quick to draw a line between legitimate criticism and outright threats. She argued that the people spewing hate aren't true fans of the game.
“In my heart of hearts, I believe, not coming from WNBA fans, or Indiana Fever fans. I believe that this is people who are using our league to further divisive agendas,” White explained. “It's not acceptable.”
The coach's comments come amid a broader conversation about the WNBA's handling of player safety and online harassment. White didn't hold back when addressing the trolls directly.
“It's not hard to not be a jerk,” she said. “And if you are one of these people who are online, doing this, do not call yourself a WNBA fan. Our league is about inclusiveness, our league is about competition, our league is about elevating… we are not about demeaning. We are not about continuing this narrative. And it's just absolutely unacceptable.”
White's stance puts her in the middle of a tricky dynamic: she's now coaching Caitlin Clark, the rookie at the center of the incident, while also defending a former player she clearly still cares about. The situation has drawn reactions from across the league, including Lisa Leslie's call for everyone to do better.
For White, the solution is simple: the WNBA community needs to stop letting outsiders hijack the narrative. She believes the league's true supporters are inclusive and competitive, not hateful. “Our league is about inclusiveness, our league is about competition, our league is about elevating,” she reiterated.
As the season continues, the hope is that the focus returns to the incredible talent on the court rather than the noise off it. But until the trolls back off, coaches like White will keep speaking up—because silence isn't an option.
