Stephanie White pregame Fever vs. Liberty

    by Yetundejones: Indiana Fever

    Before the Fever and Liberty tipped off at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Stephanie White used her pregame media availability to push back hard against an online community she says is manufacturing narratives that don't exist. She called it a fabrication and distortion of who she is, and she takes any hint that she isn't fully behind her players personally. White said it's a shame the focus isn't on what great basketball the players are putting out there. Then she got direct: the hate, fear-mongering, and divisiveness trying to hijack the league won't win. The league is united and connected, and it won't be divided. Every day these players put their lives on the line, and White stands by them, always. Everybody else can go to hell.

    Transcript (en)

    You know, 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. Our players' success, our players' health and wellness, our players' safety is always a top priority for me. One of the things I pride myself on is my relationships with players. For those who have anything to say about the play in the last game, I didn't see the play in real time. I went straight to a press conference. I thought the play got called right. Thankfully, Sophie's okay. Was it egregious? Absolutely. When you have a chance to watch that over and over and over on replay, you can see that. I didn't have that in real time. I take personally any suggestions that I don't 100% always have my players back. I ride with them 10 toes down all the time. All the time. They know that It a shame that we can have an opportunity to talk about what great basketball they playing Because they are fucking playing The reality is, with me, I will always lead with love. I will always lead with grace. I will always lead with humility. And I will always lead with integrity. Doesn't mean I'll always get it right. I'm also human. The hate, the fear-mongering, the divisiveness, the stuff that's trying to hijack our league will not win. It won't win. We are united. We are connected. We will not be divided. Every day these women put their ass on the line. Every day. When they go low, we go high. Love will win. Grace will win. Humility will win. And kindness will win. I stand by them. I will always stand by them. Everybody else can go to hell.