Fever Coach Stephanie White's Honest Response After Missing Out on Massive Bonus

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Paolo Songco | Last updated Jul 2, 2025 9:25 PM ET

Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White added a feather to her cap on Tuesday night. Among all the accolades the veteran shot-caller has achieved throughout her career -- including the 2023 WNBA Coach of the Year -- White can now proudly add Commissioner's Cup champion to that list.

The Fever made history on Tuesday by defeating the defending champions, the Minnesota Lynx, 74-59, to secure their first Commissioner's Cup title in franchise history.

What makes this feat even more impressive is the fact that Indiana did not have the services of Caitlin Clark for the cup final on Tuesday after the reigning WNBA Rookie of the Year was forced to sit out due to a lingering groin injury.

Along with the players on the squad, White deserves a lot of credit for implementing an excellent game plan against a heavily favored Lynx side.

Despite the major role White played in Tuesday's championship-clinching win, as well as throughout the Fever's title run, the harsh reality is that White does not get a share of the $500,000 prize pool.

The Fever players -- including Clark -- are reportedly eligible to receive a maximum amount of $30,000 each, but there is no provision that White will be given a cut from the massive payout.

Amid the team's celebrations on Tuesday night, White was asked what she would have done if she had gotten a share of the cash bonus. The 48-year-old got honest with her response.

"Well, I have kids so — college fund," she said, via Brian Haenchen of IndyStar.

It is worth noting that the cameras caught White asking for a "cut" of the cash bonus as the team celebrated their win at center court. Clark, though, jokingly responded that White will only get $100.

Since there's no rule stating that White will receive a share of the prize money, it will be up to the players to decide whether they want to give their coach a cut. What we know for sure, though, is that White intends to put it to good use should her players decide to do so.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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