Stephanie White Sounds Off on Aliyah Boston, Kelsey Mitchell Amid Caitlin Clark Injury News

Both Boston and Mitchell have played every game this season, and head coach Stephanie White spoke about their importance as Indiana pushes forward despite the string of injuries—highlighting Boston’s leadership as a key reason the Fever have managed to stay afloat.

“When you’re missing all of those guys on the floor, we’ve almost had to try to reinvent how we get AB touches,” White said. “Sometimes it’s more successful than others, but you know, her leadership has continued to improve…She’s a real instinctual, high IQ player. Her passing continues to improve as well.

“We’ve seen her in so many different roles,” White added. “In college, predominantly back to the basket. Her rookie year, predominantly back to the basket. Then you get her playing with [Clark] and you see her in so much of the pick-and-roll. And I think we’re adding to her game this year just using her as a hub and facilitating as much as being able to score.”

Heading into the Fever’s Friday night matchup against the Chicago Sky, Aliyah Boston is averaging 15.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.2 steals per game.

But Kelsey Mitchell, who leads the team with 20.5 points per game, has also made a major impact. Stephanie White admitted there have been stretches this season where Mitchell has had to “put the team on her shoulders."

“She just wants to play basketball,” White said. “She’s a competitor. Every time we’ve had a reshuffling of the guard, so to speak, she’s taken her game to another level. We’ve needed her to. She’s put this team on her shoulders.”

White also praised Mitchell’s effort defensively. “We’ve asked her, at times, to be the best defensive player on the floor,” she said. “I just continue to be really proud of her and the way that she has embraced everything, and in her leadership on the floor as well. She’s been a joy to coach and continues to lead by example every day.”