Just as the Indiana Fever look to stabilize during a rocky stretch in the season, they’ll once again be without head coach Stephanie White—and fans are starting to take notice.
White is set to miss another game due to personal reasons, leaving many wondering what’s really going on behind the scenes.
This marks her second missed game in June, raising questions and concern—not just from the Fever faithful, but also from around the league.
Assistant Coach Steps Up Again in White’s Absence
White, who’s in her first season leading the Fever, will miss Thursday night’s matchup on the West Coast against the Golden State Valkyries.
Earlier this month, she was also absent when the team faced the Chicago Sky on June 7.
In her absence, Assistant Coach Austin Kelly is stepping in to lead the squad, with Karima Christmas-Kelly and Briann January taking on expanded roles.
As of now, there’s been no official timeline for White’s return, and the team is staying tight-lipped about the specifics.
Spotlight Shifts to White’s Longtime Partner, Lisa Salters
Adding another layer to the story is the fact that White’s absence coincided with a brief disappearance from the spotlight by her partner, ABC/ESPN sideline reporter Lisa Salters.
Salters missed Game 2 of the NBA Finals in Oklahoma City—also on June 8.
During that broadcast, veteran commentator Mike Breen explained Salters’ absence was due to her mother’s ongoing health issues.
He offered a touching tribute on air, sharing, “We want to send our love to Lisa and her mom… We owe her mom a debt of gratitude for giving us Lisa.”
Salters Returns, But White Remains Away
Salters did return to coverage by Game 5 of the NBA Finals and was back again during the Game 6 pre-show, leading some to believe that White’s continued absence may not be directly tied to Salters’ family situation.
Still, the timing of both women stepping back from their high-profile roles stirred public curiosity—especially as many fans didn’t even know the two had been in a long-term relationship until this month.
A Private Romance Now Under Public Scrutiny
It came as a surprise to many basketball fans that Stephanie White and Lisa Salters have been romantically involved for years.
According to reports, the two have been together since at least 2016, raising a blended family of four sons.
White has three children—Landon (13) and twins Aiden and Avery (11)—from a previous marriage, while Salters is mom to her adopted son Samuel (11).
Their quiet, private life has now been thrust into public view thanks to their parallel absences.
Fever Hit Turbulence On and Off the Court
White’s absence comes at a tense time for the Fever, who have been dealing with on-court chaos surrounding rookie sensation Caitlin Clark.
In their latest game against the Connecticut Sun, Clark found herself in multiple rough exchanges.
She was poked in the eye by Jacy Sheldon, who had already clashed with Clark earlier, and later slammed to the ground by Marina Mabrey—a moment that went viral and caused an uproar online.
Despite the violent takedown, Mabrey wasn’t ejected and was only given a technical, later upgraded to a flagrant 2.
Heated Emotions Lead to Ejections
The drama didn’t stop there. Sophie Cunningham, a close teammate of Clark, was ejected from the game for what looked like a retaliatory move.
With just seconds left on the clock, she pulled down a Sun player in a scuffle that had fans and analysts buzzing.
It was clear tensions were boiling over—and White, when she was still coaching earlier this month, had already voiced concerns about the lack of control from referees.
White’s Last Statement Before Stepping Away
Speaking after that heated Connecticut game, White didn’t hold back on officiating:
“Everybody is getting better, except the officials… We knew this was going to happen.
They’ve got to get control of it. They’ve got to be better.”
Though she won’t face any fines for those comments, her passion and concern were clear—both for the safety of her players and the direction the league is taking when it comes to physical play.
What’s Next for the Fever and White?
Right now, there’s no clarity on when Stephanie White will return to the Fever bench—or whether her time away is connected to anything deeper behind the scenes.
Fans have flooded social media with messages of support and concern, wishing her and Salters well.
As the Fever continue to navigate both the pressures on the court and uncertainty off it, one thing is clear: the team, and its fanbase, are holding their breath and hoping for stability to return—sooner rather than later.