Lately, some players on the Indiana Fever, namely Caitlin Clark and Sophie Cunningham, have been at the center of controversial discussions.
Stephanie White, the team’s head coach, shared not only how she thinks the team should react to this. She also talked about how they can use it to their advantage.
Stephanie White Believes Her Team Can Benefit From the Outside Noise
Since getting drafted to the WNBA, Clark has always been a divisive figure. Many have been impressed by her talents and believe she deserves to be the face of the league.
Due to that status, she has been living under a microscope. Nearly everything she does, even outside the basketball court, has been heavily scrutinized. Many of her detractors have politicized her actions, which means she always somehow finds herself in a new controversy.
Then, there’s Cunningham. In July, she said in an ESPN article that transgender athletes should not play in the WNBA. Since then, the discourse surrounding trans athletes has only grown, with Cunningham right in the middle of it.
All of these off-court issues could become a distraction to the Fever, but White doesn’t think it should be. Instead, she believes that it’s the kind of challenge her team can harness to their benefit.
“I think the most important thing is just try to lead by example,” the Fever coach said. “It’s really challenging for our team to silence it. You can’t silence it. I think for us it’s how do we minimize it, and how do we use it in a way that brings us closer together.”
White challenged her team to consider how these controversies can be used for growth, both on and off the court, as teammates and as individuals. She concluded her statement by praising her players, saying that they are a group of women who trust and elevate one another.
To the Fever’s credit, they have managed to overcome the distractions that come with these controversies.
They are coming into their Sunday contest against the Atlanta Dream with a 22-12 record. They’re also riding a three-game winning streak, with a chance to make it four against a team that is directly behind them in the standings.
Clark is entering the game averaging 21.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, and a league-leading 8.3 assists.
Cunningham, meanwhile, has continued to be a steady contributor off the bench. She’s averaged 22.9 minutes over 33 games, which is the fourth-highest on the team. In those 33 games, she’s started in only three.
In those almost 23 minutes of playing time, she’s posted 8.8 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.2 assists.
With the postseason fast approaching, the Fever cannot afford to be distracted, not when they’re so close to finishing strong.
No matter what they do on the court, though, they won’t be able to completely shut down any outside discussions not related to basketball. As such, heeding White’s advice and using it to become a stronger unit is one of the most empowering things they can do.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.