Indiana Fever coach Stephanie White used her pre-game press conference on Tuesday to address what she described as a toxic online environment surrounding the WNBA. White spoke out against "haters, trolls and ill-wishers" who she believes are attempting to "hijack" the league.
Her remarks came amid a season marked by various controversies, including issues related to the LGBTQ+ community, officiating, "stan culture," league leadership, and the intense spotlight on star players. White specifically targeted an "online community" that she feels is fabricating narratives and distorting her identity and intentions.
"This isn't necessarily for those people that are in this room. This is more for an online community that's trying to create narratives that simply don't exist, trying to create a fabrication or distortion of who I am, of what I'm about," White stated. She emphasized that her priority is the "players' success, our players' health and wellness, our players' safety."
White also touched on the scrutiny of player performance, noting that she did not see a specific play in real-time that may have drawn criticism. The coach's strong stance highlights growing concerns about the impact of online discourse on athletes and the professional sports landscape.