Caitlin Clark stated that she felt "sick" hearing Indiana Fever fans boo head coach Stephanie White during pregame introductions Tuesday night, prior to the team's 106-92 victory over the New York Liberty.
The Indiana Fever, currently tied for the top spot in the Eastern Conference standings, were playing at home when the incident occurred.
Clark addressed the boos following the game, expressing her disappointment. "I hated that our fans booed her before the game. That made me a little sick, to be honest," Clark said. "We're going to ride for her, and we're always going to have her back. That's never going to tear our locker room apart."
The sentiment from Clark came shortly after White delivered a strong pregame defense of her team and addressed recent league tensions, including a hard foul on Fever player Sophie Cunningham by Chicago's DiJonai Carrington.
White acknowledged the foul on Cunningham, which resulted in the player leaving with a bloody mouth and Carrington being ejected, was "egregious." However, she also suggested that Carrington may not have intentionally aimed for Cunningham's neck, stating, "I don't think that DiJonai intentionally came out to get her across the neck like she did." White added that while she opposes intentional fouls, she respects hard play.
White's remarks, particularly her comments about the foul and her broader statements about "online community" narratives and divisive elements attempting to "hijack our league," were met with criticism by some online. She concluded her pregame press conference by stating, "Everybody else can go to hell."
Despite the pregame controversy, the Fever secured a win, with Clark and Kelsey Mitchell leading the offensive charge. The victory lifted the Fever to the top of the Eastern Conference standings.