Fever's Christie teams fired after Caitlin Clark's breakout season, WNBA playoff spot | News, results, highlights, statistics and rumors

The Indiana Fever announced the departure of head coach Christie Sides on Sunday.

“We are incredibly grateful to Coach Sides for taking on the challenge of leading us through a comprehensive transition period over the past two seasons while positioning us well for future growth,” said Kelly Krauskopf, president of basketball operations.

“While decisions like these are never easy, it is also imperative that we remain bold and confident in the pursuit of our goals, which include maximizing our talent and bringing another WNBA Championship back to Indiana. Coach Sides has been an incredible representative of the Fever and our community and we wish her nothing but success in the future.”

The teams led the Fever to a 20-20 record and their first playoff appearance since 2016 this season.

Despite The Fever's success, they announced her downfall by considering a possible replacement before she was actually out. The Chicago Sun TimesAnnie Costabile reported Wednesday that Connecticut Sun head coach Stephanie White has drawn interest from Indiana.

White played for the Fever for four seasons and then coached the team in 2015 and 2016, leading them to the 2015 WNBA Finals. She is very familiar with the franchise. Her stock has also never been higher, with the Connecticut Sun posting a 55-25 record in the last two years with her at the helm.

Bringing White back to Indianapolis would be a huge victory for the franchise and a sign of ambition. However, the process by which she was courted and ultimately hired may renew concerns that the front office still can't get out of the way, even with a new general manager (Amber Cox).

Winning the 2024 draft lottery then accelerated the rebuild as they earned the right to select Caitlin Clark. Clark shook off a slow start to live up to her sky-high expectations. She averaged 19.2 points, 5.7 rebounds and 8.4 assists. set a momentum of league and franchise records.

Thanks to the combined presence of Boston and Clark, the Fever arguably have the most attractive spot in a crowded coaching carousel.

This will place great demands on Sides' successor. The 2025 season won't be a make-or-break year for Indiana, but the organization is clearly no longer satisfied with just making the playoffs.