“They (players) have gone through… unprecedented times; unprecedented expectations; it took a toll—I mean, it took a toll on all of us.” Despite falling short of replicating their 2012 championship success under head coach Christie Sides, the Indiana Fever surprised everyone with a remarkable season. Now, they’re aiming even higher, and changes are already in motion—starting with a shift in the team president role. Well, along with this, the fans are also expecting a change in the head coach situation as they scrutinize Kelly Krauskopf’s defense of Sides.

The Indiana Fever recently brought Kelly Krauskopf back as team president, and during her first media appearance in the role, she faced some big questions. The future of head coach Christie Sides was one of them. Krauskopf was asked about evaluating Sides’ performance and what that might mean for the team moving forward. Well, she was quick to praise Sides for orchestrating an impressive season turnaround after some early struggles, giving credit where it was fairly due.

“Christie is a resilient leader,” said the Fever president impressed by her performance with the franchise. However, this was taken soon into notice by an X user and he took Kelly’s appreciation video to his account. He tweeted, “If you thought sides was getting fired you’re wrong! To do what she did you don’t get fired. 🤷🏿‍♂️”

While no official decision has emerged about Sides’ future with the Fever, this tweet and Krauskopf’s words provide a protective shield for the head coach, suggesting she doesn’t deserve to lose her role after the progress she’s made. However, if Sides does stay, it may not sit well with some fans, who have voiced strong opposition to the idea of keeping her on board.

Fans are heated for not firing Christie Sides amid rising expectations

The Fever hired Christie Sides as their head coach in 2022, hoping to revive the team’s playoff aspirations after a six-year drought. But her first season didn’t go as planned, as the Fever missed the playoffs again in 2023. However, things did take a turn towards a brighter future. Hence, the team gave Sides another chance. This time, she led the young squad to finally break the playoff appearance drought. Something, she promised to do in three years but achieved in two.

Still, not all fans felt satisfied. One fan even voiced frustration, calling Sides an obstacle to the team’s success and suggesting that she had enough time in the role and should be fired. Seemingly, this might have been the agitation coming off of the fact that many times throughout the season, Sides benched key players which the followers did not like.

“She held back the team. She was beyond awful. Coaches who make the playoffs get fired. Coaches get fired right after being named coach of the year (see: George Karl).  Yeah, they do and she should.“

Although the Fever ultimately secured a playoff spot, their season didn’t get off to the best start, with five straight losses. Early on, head coach Christie Sides faced criticism for some of her choices, particularly limiting star rookie Caitlin Clark’s minutes during crucial moments. Sides also came under fire in the final week of the regular season after a questionable game plan during a timeout in a tight matchup against the Las Vegas Aces. Some fans believe that these coaching decisions warrant her removal from the head coach position.

“Sides didn’t appear to know what to do and when, especially when making substitutions. She subbed players as if someone said, “OK, it’s time to sub.” She didn’t know when to challenge ref’s calls. Her players relied on each other more than relying on her.“

“Some of the decisions she made as a coach would have gotten better coaches fired“

Expectations were already sky-high for the Fever this season, especially with No. 1 pick Caitlin Clark on their roster. Head coach Christie Sides acknowledged the immense pressure, admitting it took a toll on both her and the players. Despite this, the team showed resilience in the second half of the season, finishing in sixth place. While there’s no doubt that Clark was in top form after the All-Star break, fueling the team’s playoff push, some fans believe that the playoff qualification was solely due to Clark’s brilliance and the team’s efforts, rather than Sides’ coaching. They expressed that it’s unfair to keep Sides in her job despite all the efforts made by the team and Clark.

“CC/Fever win games despite @ChristieSides obvious terrible coaching and she gets to keep her job. Yeah that is the W…“

“SHE didn’t do anything. her team did the work“

As the Indiana Fever look to build on their surprising success, the future of head coach Christie Sides hangs in the balance, with fans divided on her leadership amid rising expectations. Can Christie Sides prove her doubters wrong, or will the team’s future success hinge on changes in leadership? Only time will tell.