The Indiana Fever’s loss against the Dallas Wings was due to poor officiating. And their recent loss against the Washington Mystics was a byproduct of overreliance on Kelsey Mitchell. These are not reasons by analysts or in-action players; these are observations of HC Stephanie White.
The side slipped to seventh position in just three days, and once a strong contender for the title, the Fever team is now struggling for a place in the postseason.
Stephanie White Evaluates Reliance On Kelsey Mitchell
The Fever-faithful powered team’s five-game winning run, and jumped to the top position for the most points scored in the 2025 season. In the absence of Caitlin Clark, Kelsey Mitchell was a reliable guard, capable of scoring from any range and against most of the defenders. It was natural that he took control of the ball and called the plays.
In a recent game against the Washington Mystics, the star struggled offensively but had nine assists. Moreover, the side struggled to hold on to its healthy 13-point lead, resulting in its 16th loss of the season. HC White talked about the mistakes. She mentioned that the final-moment attempt by KM was a decisive factor in the game.
Stephanie White on the late layup attempt by Kelsey Mitchell. Obviously not the only (or even one of the main) reason(s) they lost that game, but was a significant moment. pic.twitter.com/RFK3wk4XsS
— hank 🇰🇷 (@Brian_Haenchen) August 16, 2025
“It’s almost like we gave the ball to Kelsey (Mitchell) and tried to watch her work. And that’s not when we’re at our best. Yes, we certainly want her to have the ball in her hands, but we have to continue to get movement with and without the basketball. And it was getting stuck,” White told the media.
The 48-year-old coach used her starters extensively and also gave midseason addition Odyssey Sims around 27 minutes to impact the game, but her decision not to play Chloe Bibby surprised many. Analyst Jason Whitlock also slammed White for her choices, especially in the closing moments of the game.
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Stephanie White’s Indiana Fever Is In Deep Trouble
All the fuss about the loss is because of its importance and timing. With just 10 games remaining in the season, the championship contender side was supposed to be sitting around the top four. Dropping a position per game highlights lack of preparations and seriousness over the task.
Losses against lower-ranked teams hurt more, with the Mystics and Sparks still lurking around the final playoff spot. The Fever’s loss against the Wings handed the Minnesota Lynx a place in the playoffs, while the side itself can’t catch a break.
Injuries might have affected the rotations, yet the Coach talked extensively about the team’s depth in preseason and throughout the season, which was not there in the last two losses. Dependence on star players like Caitlin Clark, Kelsey Mitchell, or Aliyah Boston is understandable, but the roster needs to stand as a whole and unite to cope with these stars’ absence.