According to multiple league sources, in addition to the Sky, the Sun and Fever are the three teams White is considering.
Connecticut Sun coach Stephanie White could return to the Sky to replace Teresa Weatherspoon.
The leaguewide play for coach Stephanie White is underway.
Many are wondering how that can be when White is under contract with the Sun through the 2025 season. The explanation is simple: White is one of the best coaches in the league, and candidates of her caliber will always have options.
The Sky are one of those options.
White has been in discussions with multiple teams since the end of the season. According to league sources, White is considering the Sun and Fever in addition to the Sky.
Landing White will likely come with a steep price.
The Aces and Mercury have set the standard regarding coaching salaries. Aces coach Becky Hammon reportedly makes $1 million, while Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts is the highest-paid coach at $1.2 million. If the Sky are serious about signing White, they need to be prepared to offer her a seven-figure salary.
For the Fever to sign White, it could require some kind of buyout, considering coach Christie Sides is currently under contract.
White was part of the Fever’s inaugural season in 2000. After four seasons, she began her coaching career as an assistant at the collegiate level. White returned to the WNBA in 2007 as an assistant for the Sky. In 2011, she rejoined the Fever as an assistant before being named head coach in 2015. After two seasons with the Fever, White returned to the college ranks, coaching Vanderbilt from 2016 to ’21.
Across the WNBA, teams are cleaning house.
The Sparks were the first domino to fall, announcing the firing of Curt Miller after two seasons. Next were the Sky, who fired Teresa Weatherspoon after just 11 months. In the month since Weatherspoon’s dismissal, three more teams have fired their coaches: the Dream, Wings and Mystics.
Washington announced its decision to “mutually part ways” with general manager Mike Thibault and coach Eric Thibault on Wednesday.
The not-so-subtle leaguewide attempt for White is a reflection of her distinction. She compiled a 55-25 overall record in two seasons with the Sun and led then to back-to-back semifinal appearances. She earned Coach of the Year honors in 2023 after setting a franchise record for victories in a season.
Sky general manager Jeff Pagliocca has spoken with a number of candidates, including White and former Sparks coach Curt Miller, who has a 165-141 overall record, including six consecutive postseason appearances with the Sun.
White’s history with the Fever could be a difference-maker in her ultimate decision. She could also opt to finish out her contract with the Sun, especially considering most rosters will see an overhaul in 2026 because of the impending collective-bargaining agreement negotiations. But at the moment, the Sky still have a shot to undo the franchise’s spiral that has been their reality since former coach/general manager James Wade left at midseason last year.
Securing White’s return to Chicago — where her WNBA coaching career began — would do just that.
