Stephanie White’s tearful end-of-season presser is a reminder basketball is secondary to life

Every now and then, basketball has a way of reminding us that it’s really not that important. Connecticut Sun coach Stephanie White’s end-of-season press conference was one such instance. White, who been the subject of rumors that she could be leaving the organization after two years at the helm, fought back tears as she addressed the media on Thursday morning.

The press conference came a week after the rest of the Sun’s end-of-season interviews, and after days of speculation regarding whether the delay was related to White potentially leaving Connecticut. That wasn’t the case; instead, she revealed she was dealing with a “tough” family matter, and while she didn’t specify what it was, her tone and demeanor indicated it was very serious.

“First and foremost, I just want to thank you,” White said to a cohort of reporters on Zoom. “I’ve had a family emergency. That’s why I had to postpone and [I’m] still dealing with it now. So, it’s been a it’s been a tough time, but I knew that I needed to get in front of you guys and wrap up, certainly, our season. I appreciate the patience as I continue to navigate this situation.”

In a flash, the slew of basketball-related questions journalists had queued up for the veteran head coach seemed unimportant.

White fought back tears the entire press conference, her emotions visibly intensifying each time she referenced the family situation she was in the midst of. The Chicago Sky, Los Angeles Sparks, and Atlanta Dream all recently dismissed their head coaches, and when asked about whether she was in conversation with any of those franchises, she didn’t get into any detail.

“My priority is my family right now, honestly — just being here for my family, getting through this,” White said. “That’s my priority.”

It was Stephanie White’s first time addressing reporters since the night the Sun fell to the Minnesota Lynx in Game 5 of the WNBA semifinals. And, her difficulty getting through the media questions in the virtual end-of-season interview stood in sharp contrast with that Game 5 postgame press conference, in which the understandably disappointed head coach had all the time and patience to answer difficult questions. After Game 5, she reflected in-depth about what went wrong tactically, heaped praise on her players — and even admitted she was looking forward to watching the Lynx-Liberty Finals match-up.

White doubles as an ESPN broadcaster covering pro and college basketball during the WNBA offseason, and her unwavering professionalism at the podium — even after losses and adversity — stood out all season. Holding the end-of-season presser despite what she was going through in her personal life was a professional decision made by a consummate professional, but it also served as a heartbreaking reminder that at the end of the day, basketball is just a game. And whatever Stephanie White was dealing with behind the scenes is far more significant.

Though it was clearly a challenge, White did address a number of more substantive questions related to the future of the organization. Of note, this offseason, All-Stars DeWanna Bonner, Brionna Jones, and Alyssa Thomas are all unrestricted free agents, while DiJonai Carrington is restricted. Asked how much of a priority it is to keep that veteran core together, she was candid about the possibility of the team splitting up.

“I certainly think it’s something that that you want, but we also understand the realities of of this business,” White said. “This is a core group that’s been together for a long time... every year a team is going to be different.”

“We’re thankful for the time that we’ve had, and we’ll take the next steps whenever they present themselves.”

She also praised the play of backup point guard Veronica Burton. “I love her IQ, I love how hard she works. I love how coachable she is,” she said. “We knew that she was going to give us what we needed on the defensive end of the floor, and she did that.”

White reflected on her team’s resilience throughout the season, bringing up Tiffany Mitchell’s sepsis episode — another difficult reminder for the Sun this year that life was far more important than basketball. Mitchell, one of the more veteran players on the roster, missed the second half of the season recovering from sepsis with six abdominal abscesses, a condition that threatened her life.

“Watching Tiff struggle and go through her health scare and situation, there were a lot of ups and downs,” White said. “But the resilience of our group to position ourselves to be right there at the end of the year, to be in contention for what our ultimate goal was, to get to the Finals.”

It’s still not certain whether Stephanie White will be back in Connecticut next season, or whether the Thomas-Bonner-Jones will re-sign or go elsewhere in free agency. It’s typically the case that end-of-season press conferences provide some context, while leaving the door open for a slew of possibilities, which White’s certainly did.

But, what stood out most was the reminder that at the end of the day, basketball is just a sport, and whatever White has been dealing with since her team’s elimination is far more significant. Fittingly, nearly every reporter began their question by sending Stephanie White and her family thoughts and prayers. Here’s to hoping that everything, and everyone, ends up okay.