Stephen A. Smith, an ESPN personality, has sharply criticized Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White for her reaction to DiJonai Carrington's flagrant foul on Sophie Cunningham during a recent game. Smith expressed doubt about White's coaching capabilities, particularly her initial assessment of the play.
During the game, Carrington committed a Flagrant 2 foul, striking Cunningham across the face and leading to Carrington's ejection. In her post-game press conference, White commented on the incident, initially appearing to defend Carrington's aggressive play while stating she did not see the full extent of the foul in real-time.
White later issued a more forceful defense of her position, addressing what she termed an "online community" attempting to create false narratives. She emphasized her commitment to her players' safety and well-being and her strong relationships with them. "Our players' success, our players' health and wellness, our players' safety is always a top priority for me," White stated to reporters. "One of the things I pride myself on is my relationships with players."
However, Smith remained unconvinced. He questioned how White, as the head coach, could claim not to have seen the play, which he deemed significant enough to warrant close attention. "How are you the head coach…and you didn’t see the play? It’s your job to…watch the game. How did you not see the play?" Smith remarked on his show.
The controversy intensified when Carrington posted "WHITE PRIVILEGE @indianafever" on Threads shortly after her ejection, leaving the meaning of her statement unclear.
While White initially acknowledged the foul was "egregious" when viewed on replay, she also defended Carrington's competitive spirit. "One of the things about [Carrington] is that she’s gonna play her butt off, man," White said, recalling her previous coaching experience with Carrington. "She’s gonna compete. Nobody’s gonna go walking in for a layup. And so I don’t oppose the hard foul, but I also don’t think that she intentionally went for the neck."
Despite the criticism and boos from some fans during a subsequent home game against the New York Liberty, the Indiana Fever secured a victory with a score of 108-92. Caitlin Clark acknowledged the jeers made her "a little sick," while Cunningham expressed confidence in the coach's support.
The Indiana Fever are scheduled to play the Dallas Wings on Friday night.