Sue Bird recently praised Caitlin Clark for drilling a deep three against Brazil, saying, “She logoed the logo.” But if that was a masterclass in confidence, what happened next felt more like a midlife crisis in motion. Inspired by the era’s generational talents—Clark bombing from half-court, A’ja Wilson rewriting record books—Indiana Fever’s head coach decided to relive her own hardwood glory. The result? Less logoed the logo, more bricked the broadcast.
In a league where 20-somethings soar and 40-somethings like Diana Taurasi bow out gracefully, Stephanie White’s half-court heave at practice landed her somewhere in between—just not near the rim. At 47, she let it fly… and the internet did the rest.
In a clip posted by Tony East, a reporter covering the Indiana Fever and Pacers, the coach’s ill-fated attempt became comedy fodder. “Stephanie White from half court… not quite,” he posted on X, with a video showing the shot sailing well short of the hoop—an airball, much to the dismay of the players practicing.
Stephanie White from half court… not quite pic.twitter.com/7cwsMhBi6J
— Tony East (@TonyREast) May 9, 2025
And while White took it in stride, let’s just say some Indiana fans were more vocal about it than the players—whether to support, troll, or simply have a good time at her expense.
Fans React to Fever Coach Stephanie White’s Airball
When Connecticut Sun head coach Stephanie White launched a half-court shot and airballed it—fans didn’t just react, they rallied. What followed was a mix of roasting, respect, and unexpected sports science.
“Coach needs to lose that sweatshirt for that half-court heave,” one fan joked. “47 + half-court bball shots don’t leave any room for holding back those shoulders. She’ll be hitting this shot by July 1. Bookmark this.”
Honestly, they might be onto something. White, who hasn’t logged WNBA minutes since 2004, still managed to get pretty close—hoodie and all. And considering she’s spent half her life shooting or coaching the shot, this miss might be more rust than reality.
Another fan added, “She gonna be hurting in the morning.”
And science backs them up. According to a paper in the International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, athletic performance starts a slow, linear decline in the mid-30s. For women, power-centric movements like jumps or sprints can dip by 1.04% per year after age 35. So yeah—next-day soreness checks out.
UNCASVILLE, CONNECTICUT- JUNE 5: Indiana Fever Head Coach Stephanie White on the sideline during the Indiana Fever Vs Connecticut Sun, WNBA regular season game at Mohegan Sun Arena on June 3, 2016 in Uncasville, Connecticut. (Photo by Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images)
Then came the tougher love: “Stick to coaching Steph. We love ya but it’s time for others to shine.”
Not totally unfair. As a player, White’s WNBA career was solid—averaging 5.9 points over five seasons. But it’s on the sidelines where she’s thrived, with a career .622 coaching win rate and multiple deep playoff runs, including back-to-back semifinal finishes with the Sun.
“Woof, coach needs to get in the weight room,” another fan wrote.
Actually… not the worst advice. Research from The Journals of Gerontology shows that women in their 40s and beyond can still build explosive power with strength training. Resistance workouts targeting legs, core, and upper body could absolutely help White land that half-court bucket—with fewer groans the next day.
One fan said: “Damn AI is getting crazy these days.”
Well, it’s not AI when Tony East reports it—but yeah, it’s a shock to see a former player-turned-coach fall prey to father time. It also highlights just how unreal athletes like LeBron James and Diana Taurasi are— for managing to play at elite levels in their 40s, while most like White have lost much of their athleticism by then.
So if Coach White wants to train up for a summer redemption shot? It’s more than possible—with a few medicine ball slams, some plyos, and maybe a little less hoodie next time.
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