Stephanie White Speaks Out After Indiana Fever Player Didn't Join Team for WNBA Game

Stephanie White Explains Bibby’s Absence

Reporters caught up with head coach Stephanie White before the Lynx game, and while most of the questions she faced centered on Clark’s progress, the veteran shot-caller also shed light on Bibby’s absence.

"I think that she has a timeline," White said of Bibby. "I think the most important thing right now is on a quick out and back, we didn't want to have any swelling, wanted her to be able to do some more rehab. Now we'll rehab her and see where she is. She's kind of day-to-day right now."

The Fever played at home on Friday and had to travel to Minnesota for Sunday’s contest. They return to Indianapolis again for Tuesday’s matchup against the Seattle Storm. As White said in her update, the team did not want Bibby to be on the flights to avoid any risk of swelling in her injured knee.

Bibby wasn’t going to play anyway, so the team decided that it would be in her best interest to remain in Indianapolis to continue her rehab and potentially be ready to go for Tuesday’s game.

Bibby’s Impact on the Fever

Bibby has made nine appearances for Indiana since she joined the team as a mid-season recruit back in June. During that stretch, the 6-foot-2 forward has produced averages of 3.9 points, 1.2 rebounds and 1.0 triples in 9.8 minutes off the bench.

Bibby is no star, but she has established a somewhat significant role in the Fever’s rotation, especially with so many players out injured.

At this point, Indiana can use all the help it can get. After Sunday’s loss — their sixth in the last eight games — the Fever have fallen to 19-18 on the season. They have slipped to the eighth spot in the league and will now have to battle it out the rest of the way to secure one of the eight playoff spots available.