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Caitlin Clark, Stephanie White comment on viral bench exchange

After Saturday's heated bench exchange between Caitlin Clark and Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White blew up on social media, the former Iowa women's basketball legend explained what happened during the team's loss to the Portland Fire at the Moda Center.

"First of all, two people being competitive, two people that really want to win. I think a lot of those things happen all the time, and I know there's a camera on me, and that's how it's gonna be.

"But, there's a lot of people out there in the media or on TV that they think they know a lot of things, and they're just blatantly wrong about a lot of things, and I ride for Steph. I ride for these girls. Steph has my back more than anybody. So nobody in that locker room, in our locker room, or Steph or our coaching staff thought twice about it. It's just another example of what everybody, all of you, want to blow up and make something that is just lost and not in reality," Clark said.

Former ESPN and FOX host Skip Bayless indicated on Sunday night that the incident had resulted in coach White's dismissal. That report from Bayless was quickly rebuffed and proven inaccurate.

Stephanie White echoed the same sentiment in her explanation of the incident.

"I think what happened in that moment is I was challenging a player. It's coaching. It's what it is. I don't often think it becomes an issue if you're watching it in men's sports most of the time. And my relationship with Caitlin is great. I love Caitlin. I ride with her. We have a great relationship, and I think that the narrative of people trying to make it something that it's not is just taking sensationalism to try to get some clicks and all the other stuff.

"She wants to be coached. I want her to help me be a better coach. We're both competitive. We're both stubborn. We're more alike than different, and hopefully we continue to bring the best out of each other," White said.

Indiana (4-4) returns to action on Thursday, June 4 inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse against the Atlanta Dream. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. CT in a game that will stream on Amazon Prime Video.

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This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Caitlin Clark, Stephanie White comment on viral bench exchange

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