Caitlin Clark fans fuming over Stephanie White's delusional Luka Doncic comment

The Indiana Fever fans are blaming head coach Stephanie White for Caitlin Clark's struggles this season, and a resurfaced clip of her calling out Luka Doncic helps explain the situation. White talked about how the ball was popping and everyone was stepping up without Doncic on the floor in a November 24 ESPN broadcast. The comments made it clear that White was not a fan of Luka’s heliocentric playstyle and favored a more egalitarian offensive approach. It explains a lot, including why Clark is struggling this season.

Clark proved to be the offense last season. When the Fever fully committed to her running the show after the Olympic break, the six-foot guard averaged 23.1 points, 8.9 rebounds, 5.4 assists, and 1.1 steals as Indiana won nine of their final 14 games. Clark loves to play in transition and is the best creator in the W, which makes coach White's insistence on playing her off the ball baffling.

White’s comments about Luka made zero sense, and Fever fans are witnessing just how wrong the head coach is about heliocentric offense when you have the superstar to do it.

Stephanie White’s comments on Luka Doncic were delusional

Fans can read White's comments on Luka and the Mavericks below.

“You see the Mavericks just play differently without Luka on the floor. He is a guy who has a high usage rate. The ball is in his hands. When he’s not on the floor, that ball is moving, it’s popping, multiple players getting involved in action and everyone’s stepping up.”

She said this just months after Doncic took Dallas to the NBA Finals. The statement sounds even worse after the Mavericks crashed into the lottery following his stunning traded to the Lakers.

Luka led the league in scoring in 2024 as the Mavs reached the finals. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was the best scorer in 2025 and his Thunder won the championship. The best players should have a high usage rate, and their teams should attempt to maximize their contributions by putting them in the best positions to succeed.

The comments looks worse as White is ruining Caitlin Clark

White is refusing to do that with Clark, and fans should be mad. The Fever are just 5-5 with their superstar in the lineup this season. Her shooting efficiency is down across the board, and fans have seen her forcing a ton. There are zero easy buckets and nobody runs with her in transition. The Fever are currently committed to playing Stephanie White’s game and it is simply not working.

They are one game under .500 on the season and fighting for a playoff spot. Indiana did win the Commissioner's Cup but looks far from a contender. They were the number one offense in the W last season after the Olympic break with Caitlin in the Luka Doncic role. This season, they have sunk to fifth.

Coach White must realize the "differently" Dallas played without Luka Doncic was not better. Even last season when the superstar battled injuries, the Mavs were 13-9 with Luka and 13-14 without him on the day he was traded. Dallas would have made the playoffs with a healthy Doncic and missed it without him.

Coach White must embrace that Caitlin Clark is a special talent and the Fever are better off playing Clark's preferred style. Even if that means the ball isn’t moving and popping as much as coach White would like.

The Indiana Fever are flirting with disaster. Clark fans should be upset. The Fever are wasting a prime season from the 23-year-old superstar by forcing her to be something she isn’t. Indy could get plenty of easy looks by turning the keys over to Clark. It is the only solution, but coach White’s hatred of heliocentric offense may crush the Fever’s title dreams and Clark’s greatness. Fans should have expected this after her Luka comments, but nobody thought it would actually happen. Something has to change or the nightmare will only get worse.