Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White is one of the best coaches in the WNBA. General managers, however, do not seem to agree.
The WNBA released its annual GM survey ahead of the league's 30th season, covering a multitude of league-related topics.
One category asked, "Who is the best head coach in the WNBA?" Topping the list for the second straight year is Minnesota Lynx bench boss Cheryl Reeve, who earned 53% of the votes.
Defending champion Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon placed second with 40%. Golden State Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase received 7% in third place.
White received zero votes, a stark reflection of how GMs currently view her standing in the league.
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White still earned recognition in two other coaching categories. She received 14% of the votes in the best manager and motivator of people category. She also garnered 7% in the best offense category.
Still, the zero votes in the top category raise eyebrows for a veteran entering her seventh season as a head coach. White served as an assistant on the Indiana bench when the Fever won the 2012 WNBA championship. She went on to win the 2023 WNBA Coach of the Year award with the Connecticut Sun.
White navigated a difficult season with Indiana in 2025. The Fever battled a rash of injuries throughout the year, with star guard Caitlin Clark limited to just 13 games. White still managed to lead Indiana to a 24-20 regular season record and a playoff berth. The Fever defeated the Atlanta Dream in the first round before falling to the Las Vegas Aces in the semifinals.
White enters the 2026 season reinvigorated. Key players return healthy, and the Fever bolstered their roster with notable offseason additions.
The GM survey may not reflect it, but White has the resume to prove the league's general managers wrong this season.
