The Indiana Fever entered the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup break as one of the WNBA’s in-form teams. Indiana won 7 of its final 9 games before the pause and currently sits at 26-14 on the season.
Despite the Fever’s strong form, Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy has made a surprising claim regarding head coach Stephanie White’s future.
Dave Portnoy Makes Surprising Claim About Stephanie White’s Indiana Fever Future
During Monday’s episode of “Wake Up Barstool,” Portnoy was asked about WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert’s recent retirement announcement.
Portnoy did not exactly buy the idea that Engelbert had simply decided to retire. Instead, he believes that Engelbert was actually fired, and the retirement announcement was instead a way to soften her departure.
“As far as Engelberg’s decision to retire, that’s a lie, right?” he said. “She was fired, and they gave her the dignity of saying she’s going to retire, but there’s no retiring here. She was fired, which I assume.”
However, Portnoy did not stop there. He then shifted the conversation to White, claiming he had heard she could be on the way out following the 2026 campaign.
“Actually, the Indiana Fever coach will probably be fired at the end of the season as well. I got some birdies in my ears there,” Portnoy added.
“She’s done nothing to help this league really. It’s successful despite itself because because of the overwhelming interest in Caitlin Clark”
–@stoolpresidente on Cathy Engelbert’s retirement as WNBA commissioner pic.twitter.com/OihDRxo11l— Wake Up Barstool (@wakeupbarstool) September 7, 2026
White began her coaching career as an assistant at Ball State during the 2003-04 season. She later worked at Kansas State and Toledo before joining the Chicago Sky. She then joined the Fever as an assistant coach in 2011 and eventually became the franchise’s head coach in 2015.
After her initial stint in Indiana, White coached at Vanderbilt and later led the Connecticut Sun before returning to the Fever ahead of the 2025 season.
White has compiled a 142-90 regular-season record as a WNBA head coach, along with a 17-17 record in the playoffs, establishing herself as one of the league’s more successful HCs.
Still, White has faced criticism in recent months. In August, following a heated game between the Fever and the Chicago Sky, DiJonai Carrington was ejected for a Flagrant 2 foul on Sophie Cunningham during a fast break.
White drew backlash after describing the foul as hard but unintentional while also praising Carrington’s competitiveness. The remarks sparked significant reaction online, with many calling for her dismissal.
For now, White’s attention remains on Team USA, where she is serving as an assistant coach during the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup.
Whether Portnoy’s claim carries any weight remains to be seen. However, if there is truth to the rumor, White’s future in Indiana could become a major storyline once the 2026 season concludes.
