Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White

 

Indiana Fever’s head coach Stephanie White is not going through the best of times, as she has been heavily criticized by fans and the media, with many stating that she is one of the main reasons the Indiana Fever have struggled so much in the WNBA.

It seems that the impact of Aari McDonald, who joined the team and made an immediate difference, and the way White has managed the situation is the main reason behind the current backlash she is facing.

“We couldn’t be more proud of her and how she’s transitioned, and how she’s taken us to another level,” Austin Kelly said after the Fever managed to achieve back-to-back wins.

In fact, McDonald actually played a big role in the first half of the game against the Atlanta Dream. Nevertheless, once the second half started, indiana Fever’s weaknesses became apparent as the team fell apart: poor shooting, being out-rebounded, and overall domination by the opponent. That loss marked the worst loss of the season (77-58).

Fever fans are going hard on Stephanie White

All of this felt even worse when putting things in perspective. The Fever started the season with big hopes and a decent average scoring rate, which vanished as soon as they started underperforming.

Fans have always stood by the team, but due to the frustration with the current form, they are now directing their anger at Coach White. Some of their claims are that she is not adjusting the game plan, especially when players like Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston are struggling. These examples are enough for some fans to begin questioning whether hiring White was the right move-or in other words, they want her out.

There is obvious disappointment with the Indiana Fever’s performances and not necessarily with the players (whom fans seem to love), but with the leadership and coaching direction. They want changes, and they want them now, as it feels like the potential of this team is being wasted.

Key factors Indiana Fever must change in order to succeed

Acknowledging fans’ anger toward Stephanie White, it is fair to ask: What can the Fever do to get back to the top? Well, the answer is simple to say, but hard to execute.

They clearly need to reevaluate their coaching strategy, by either backing White with some changes, like a strong assistant, or by making a complete coaching change and let her and her staff go.

Funnily enough, it’s true that players are the ones who actually play, so maximizing their roles might also be key. Players like Aliyah Boston, Kelsey Mitchell, and Caitlin Clark are capable of extraordinary things, so building offensive sets that emphasize pace, spacing, and player movement would surely help the overall performance.

All players are important, so managing rotations and strengthening communication and leadership would also benefit the entire squad.

They must meet fan expectations, since fans are the ones paying to watch. At the same time, the organization needs to be honest about current expectations, which must be different since this is still a rebuilding team. The Fever have talent, but they also need structure, identity, and accountability.

Houston Texans star Azeez Al-Shaair has admitted regrets over his illegal hit to Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence and the ensuing brawl between the teams in a lengthy statement on social media.  

Al-Shaair’s statement comes as his three-game suspension as a result of the incident has ended and he is slated to return to the field for the Texans on Sunday against the Tennessee Titans.

On December 1, an Al-Shaair hit to the head of a sliding and defenseless Lawrence caused chaos in Jacksonville. The defensive back needed to be restrained by several coaches and Lawrence has not played since taking the barbaric contact.

‘While so many jumped at the first opportunity to hop on the false narrative – that l’m a dirty player or bad person – the messages from all who stood by me were the only things keeping me mentally afloat during a time of isolation,’ Al-Shaair said on social media.

‘I’ve learned so much from this entire experience. Seeing myself on video – letting my emotions get the best of me to the point where I completely lost it – was an embarrassing and eye-opening moment for me.’

‘I’ve had to earn everything in my life. I never want to allow anyone to get me to a point where I jeopardize everything that I’ve worked all my life to obtain. That was not the way I want to represent myself or my family and I will continue to learn and grow from that moment.’

Azeez Al-Shaair has admitted regrets over his hit to Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence
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Azeez Al-Shaair has admitted regrets over his hit to Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence

The Texans defensive back was suspended for three games as a result of the hit to Lawrence
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The Texans defensive back was suspended for three games as a result of the hit to Lawrence

Al-Shaair said during his three-game ban, he met with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and other league executives for the first time, taking issue with how he was characterized in the official announcement of his suspension.

The defender said he thought his character and integrity were ‘unjustifiably smeared’ in the release but the meeting with Goodell and others was ‘productive’ and gave him hope it would not happen again.

‘In that conversation – man-to-man – I owned and acknowledged that my actions following my ejection were careless and, in that moment, I didn’t think about the responsibility I have been blessed with to represent the shield,’ Al-Shaair continued.

‘I also stated that the letter, and specifically the language used in the letter, was equally as careless and conveyed that the context of the words used were not a reflection of my character, nor my career, as I have not been warned multiple times for my play on the field.’

Al-Shaair’s hit on Lawrence was not the only controversial incident he was involved in this season.

During the Texans’ game against the Bears in September, he punched Roschon Johnson, who wasn’t even in the game at the time of another sideline confrontation.

Al-Shaair ended his statement by saying his view is that everyone in the league office and on the field are on the same team to represent the NFL in the best nature possible, something he failed to do earlier this month.

‘Lastly, I’ll say that this world is full of negative people who can’t wait to tear you down, but if you move with love and compassion, the seeds of good you planted in others’ lives can grow into the very tree that shades you with comfort and compassion when you need it most,’ Al-Shaair concluded.

‘I am a man of God, I am a leader, a warrior and a lover. I am also a hell of a football player and I’m grateful to be back doing what I love.’