Latest news with #AustinKelly
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Major Update on Stephanie White's Partner Lisa Salters Amid Sky Game Absence
Major Update on Stephanie White's Partner Lisa Salters Amid Sky Game Absence originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White was not on the bench for Saturday's 79-52 win over the Chicago Sky. Advertisement She missed practice on Friday due to "personal reasons," leaving her status for the game uncertain. As tip-off approached, a team spokesperson confirmed to IndyStar's Chloe Peterson that White would not be in attendance. Aside from "personal reasons," no details were provided. Regardless, the team stepped up with Caitlin Clark and Sophie Cunningham out due to injury, giving first assistant coach Austin Kelly his first win as a WNBA head coach. It's unclear when White will return, but on Sunday, a major update was shared that could provide more clarity on why she hasn't been with the team over the past several days. Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White.© Grace Smith-INDIANAPOLIS STAR-Imagn Images Game 2 of the 2025 NBA Finals is Sunday night, and White's partner, Lisa Salters, was replaced on ESPN's sideline reporting team by Jorge Sedano. Advertisement In a statement to Front Office Sports, ESPN said Salters is dealing with a personal issue. 'Lisa is attending to a personal matter. We send her our best," ESPN wrote. White and Salters have been in a romantic relationship since at least 2016. While they aren't married, they've raised a blended family consisting of White's three children from her previous marriage and Salters' adopted son. In the offseason, White returns to their home in Nashville, Tennessee, where Salters lives full time. The first game White can return to the Fever is on Tuesday, when they face the Dream in Atlanta. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. EST. Advertisement Related: Price Tag of Caitlin Clark's Luxury Watch Before Angel Reese Game Revealed Related: Candace Parker Doesn't Entertain Caitlin Clark – Angel Reese Rivalry This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 8, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Stephanie White Replacement Shares Strong Comments on First Career Win
Stephanie White Replacement Shares Strong Comments on First Career Win originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Indiana Fever were once again without Caitlin Clark on Saturday when they took on Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky on the road on Saturday. But they were also without another key member in the organization. Advertisement Head coach Stephanie White missed the game due to personal reasons, and assistant Austin Kelly was tapped to be the acting head coach for this game. Things went well for him and his team, as it jumped out to an early lead and kept increasing its advantage en route to a 79-52 win. Kelly talked about getting his first victory as a head coach after the game. "Being in that locker room at the end, it means a lot," he said. "It's something I'll never forget. First win. They did a hell of a job for 40 minutes of executing the game plan, and I thought when we had lulls, the communication out there was really good, that they picked each other up when it was needed." Indiana hired Kelly to be an assistant coach in November. He had spent the previous two seasons as an assistant under White on the Connecticut Sun. Before that, he had been an assistant and recruiter at the college level for multiple schools. Advertisement He once played a season of college basketball at Georgia Southwestern, and he was even a moderately successful wide receiver with the Duke Blue Devils for four years. Indiana Fever guard Aari McDonald (2) takes the ball to the basket against the Washington Mystics at Gainbridge Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images On Saturday, Indiana got the job done with defense. It held the Sky to 32.1% shooting from the field and 20% from 3-point range while forcing 19 turnovers and scoring 23 points off those turnovers. The Sky didn't have a single player who scored in double figures. Offensively, Kelsey Mitchell led Indiana with 17 points. New addition Aari McDonald, who was signed following the injuries to Clark and Sophie Cunningham, contributed 12 points off the bench. Advertisement As a result, the Fever now have a respectable 4-4 record with Clark nearing a return from her quad ailment. Related: Cameras Catch Caitlin Clark's Reaction to Angel Reese's Mistake on Saturday This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 8, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Fever Drench Acting Head Coach in Celebration of First-Ever WNBA Win: Watch
Fever Drench Acting Head Coach in Celebration of First-Ever WNBA Win: Watch originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Indiana Fever continue growing together as a team in positive ways, and that includes members of the bench beyond just the players. Advertisement Case in point, the team made its victory over the Chicago Sky all about acting head coach Austin Kelly, who filled in for Stephanie White at the United Center on Saturday, June 7. White missed the game for personal reasons. "Head coach Steph White won't be at the Fever's game against the Chicago Sky on Saturday night, a team spokesperson confirmed to IndyStar on Saturday morning," Chloe Peterson reported. "White was not with the team on Friday during practice because of personal reasons, and her status was previously to be determined for Saturday's game." Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White.© Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images White brought Kelly with her as an assistant coach after the Fever hired White ahead of the 2025 season. The two worked together in 2023 and 2024, when White was leading the Connecticut Sun sideline, as well as during previous stops of their respective careers. Advertisement "From former Fever practice player to acting head coach -- and a win on his first try," Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files posted to X following the game. "Special moment for Austin Kelly." "Go inside the locker room as the team celebrates Austin Kelly getting the win as acting head coach tonight 🚿," the Fever added on their own X account as the caption of a video of Indiana players drenching Kelly. The Fever's victory came on the road by 27 points without the aid of Caitlin Clark, who has missed the last four contests due to a quad strain. Team doctors will reevaluate her over the weekend, which could potentially free up the star point guard to return against the Atlanta Dream on Tuesday, June 10. Advertisement The Fever are now 4-4 on the season and 2-2 without Clark in the lineup. Related: Indiana Fever Make Coaching Move Before Chicago Sky Game This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 8, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Fever balance scoring, rout Sky 79-52 without Caitlin Clark, coach Stephanie White
CHICAGO — Austin Kelly first met Stephanie White over a decade ago, when Kelly's future wife, Karima Christmas-Kelly, began playing for the Indiana Fever in 2012. Kelly would hang around the team and sometimes sit in on Fever practices. Occasionally, he would even take part in them as a practice player. A lot has changed with the Fever since. And yet, for all that's different around the franchise — especially in the last two seasons as Indiana has evolved into the WNBA's most popular team — plenty has stayed the same. Advertisement On Saturday night against the Chicago Sky, Kelly, an Indiana assistant coach, slid into the lead chair, serving as the Fever's acting head coach with White absent due to personal reasons. Christmas-Kelly, a fellow assistant on the Fever, was a few seats down on the bench. So too was another key member of Indiana's 2012 title-winning roster, Briann January, who, like Kelly, is also in her first season as a Fever assistant. 'We all got history,' Kelly said. Even without White, the trio has helped the Fever climb back to .500, as Indiana defeated Chicago, 79-52, in the first WNBA game played at the United Center with a Sky-record 19,496 in attendance. White was not Indiana's only notable absence, however. The Fever are now 2-2 in games without star guard Caitlin Clark, who could return as soon as Tuesday as she continues rehabbing her left quad strain. Despite the absences of Clark and White, Indiana's offense was efficient as the ball pinballed from player to player with the Fever recording 14 assists on its first 20 made field goals. They finished with 19 assists on 27 baskets, shooting 45.8 percent from the field and 40.7 percent from 3-point range. Advertisement Four players finished in double figures for Indiana as its balanced cast of role players stepped up in the absence of its coach and star guard. Kelsey Mitchell led the Fever with 17 points, Natasha Howard scored 13 and grabbed five rebounds, while Aari McDonald and Aliyah Boston scored 12 and 11 points, respectively. 'It's special,' Kelly said after the win. 'It's something I'll never forget. They did a hell of a job for 40 minutes of executing the game plan. And I thought when we had lulls, the communication out there was really good, they picked each other up when it was needed.' Chicago's production paled in comparison. The Sky had only six assists on 11 made field goals at halftime, as they trailed 41-28 at the break. Indiana's lead grew to 17 midway through the third quarter as Mitchell darted to the rim for another layup and two of her team-high 17 points. It ballooned to 29 after three quarters, and 30 early in the fourth quarter before Chicago chipped away. Saturday night was supposed to be a celebration inside United Center, as the Sky were playing in the home of the NBA's Chicago Bulls for the first time in franchise history in front of what was expected to be a Sky record crowd. Advertisement But the tenor of the night, and perhaps Chicago's season, changed abruptly as veteran Sky guard Courtney Vandersloot suffered a knee injury at the 5:29 minute mark of the first quarter on a drive to the basket. Vandersloot, the franchise's all-time leading scorer who returned to Chicago this past offseason after two seasons with the New York Liberty, was carried off the floor, unable to put any weight on her right leg and did not return. The Sky's offense appeared to not recover either. Kelly and White have worked together for a few seasons, first from 2019-2021, when Kelly was White's director of recruiting when she was the head coach at Vanderbilt. He was later on White's coaching staff during White's two seasons with the Connecticut Sun. 'We're prepared for this moment. I've worked for Steph a handful of years, and she wants to prepare all of her assistants to be head coaches,' Kelly said. 'And so she puts a lot on our plate, and she allows us to grow and be our own head coach in our areas.' Advertisement Kelly plays a critical role in Indiana's offensive success. Heading into Saturday's matchup, Indiana was No. 4 in offensive rating, even with its star guard missing the last four games. He has learned plenty from White and former Fever coach/general manager Lin Dunn. 'Keep it simple,' he said. 'Keeping it simple so your players are on the same page,' Everyone was aligned for the Fever on Saturday night. And now, as Indiana prepares for the Atlanta Dream on Tuesday, with Clark and White's statuses both uncertain, the task will remain the same. This article originally appeared in The Athletic. Chicago Sky, Indiana Fever, WNBA 2025 The Athletic Media Company
New York Times
a day ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Fever balance scoring, rout Sky 79-52 without Caitlin Clark, coach Stephanie White
CHICAGO — Austin Kelly first met Stephanie White over a decade ago, when Kelly's future wife, Karima Christmas-Kelly, began playing for the Indiana Fever in 2012. Kelly would hang around the team and sometimes sit in on Fever practices. Occasionally, he would even take part in them as a practice player. Advertisement A lot has changed with the Fever since. And yet, for all that's different around the franchise — especially in the last two seasons as Indiana has evolved into the WNBA's most popular team — plenty has stayed the same. On Saturday night against the Chicago Sky, Kelly, an Indiana assistant coach, slid into the lead chair, serving as the Fever's acting head coach with White absent due to personal reasons. Christmas-Kelly, a fellow assistant on the Fever, was a few seats down on the bench. So too was another key member of Indiana's 2012 title-winning roster, Briann January, who, like Kelly, is also in her first season as a Fever assistant. 'We all got history,' Kelly said. Even without White, the trio has helped the Fever climb back to .500, as Indiana defeated Chicago, 79-52, in the first WNBA game played at the United Center. White was not Indiana's only notable absence, however. The Fever are now 2-2 in games without star guard Caitlin Clark, who could return as soon as Tuesday as she continues rehabbing her left quad strain. Aari McDonald pokes it free and cashes in with her third 3-pointer 🔥 — Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) June 8, 2025 Despite the absences of Clark and White, Indiana's offense was efficient as the ball pinballed from player to player with the Fever recording 14 assists on its first 20 made field goals. They finished with 19 assists on 27 baskets, shooting 45.8 percent from the field and 40.7 percent from 3-point range. Four players finished in double figures for Indiana as its balanced cast of role players stepped up in the absence of its coach and star guard. Kelsey Mitchell led the Fever with 17 points, Natasha Howard scored 13 and grabbed five rebounds, while Aari McDonald and Aliyah Boston scored 12 and 11 points, respectively. Advertisement 'It's special,' Kelly said after the win. 'It's something I'll never forget. They did a hell of a job for 40 minutes of executing the game plan. And I thought when we had lulls, the communication out there was really good, they picked each other up when it was needed.' Chicago's production paled in comparison. The Sky had only six assists on 11 made field goals at halftime, as they trailed 41-28 at the break. Indiana's lead grew to 17 midway through the third quarter as Mitchell darted to the rim for another layup and two of her team-high 17 points. It ballooned to 29 after three quarters, and 30 early in the fourth quarter before Chicago chipped away. Saturday night was supposed to be a celebration inside United Center, as the Sky were playing in the home of the NBA's Chicago Bulls for the first time in franchise history in front of what was expected to be a Sky record crowd. But the tenor of the night, and perhaps Chicago's season, changed abruptly as veteran Sky guard Courtney Vandersloot suffered a knee injury at the 5:29 minute mark of the first quarter on a drive to the basket. Vandersloot, the franchise's all-time leading scorer who returned to Chicago this past offseason after two seasons with the New York Liberty, was carried off the floor, unable to put any weight on her right leg and did not return. The Sky's offense appeared to not recover either. "The sky is falling in Chicago!" DeWanna Bonner knocks down the three to put us up 24 in the third. — Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) June 8, 2025 Kelly and White have worked together for a few seasons, first from 2019-2021, when Kelly was White's director of recruiting when she was the head coach at Vanderbilt. He was later on White's coaching staff during White's two seasons with the Connecticut Sun. 'We're prepared for this moment. I've worked for Steph a handful of years, and she wants to prepare all of her assistants to be head coaches,' Kelly said. 'And so she puts a lot on our plate, and she allows us to grow and be our own head coach in our areas.' Advertisement Kelly plays a critical role in Indiana's offensive success. Heading into Saturday's matchup, Indiana was No. 4 in offensive rating, even with its star guard missing the last four games. He has learned plenty from White and former Fever coach/general manager Lin Dunn. 'Keep it simple,' he said. 'Keeping it simple so your players are on the same page,' Everyone was aligned for the Fever on Saturday night. And now, as Indiana prepares for the Atlanta Dream on Tuesday, with Clark and White's statuses both uncertain, the task will remain the same. (Photo of Natasha Howard: Daniel Bartel / Getty Images)
