INDIANAPOLIS -- Stephanie White's body was breaking down, a result of too many nights excelling at the game that earned her a place among Indiana's basketball elite.

Her marriage to her high-school sweetheart was crumbling as well, and unlike her knees and ankles, that couldn't be repaired.

Instead of rushing toward the basketball court for refuge, White took a breather. The three-year WNBA veteran who was a household name with Indiana basketball fans spent last year in semi-retirement.

"My passion went away, because it was kind of secondary,'' White said. "I didn't think that basketball was going to be where my future was. There were other things in my life that I wanted to do.''

Fast-forward to this year's Indiana Fever training camp. A tan and toned White no longer was considered the centerpiece of an expansion franchise. She was another player trying to make the roster of an Eastern Conference contender.

"McCarty'' is gone from the back of her No. 22 jersey, replaced by her maiden name. The nagging injuries also appear to have gone away. What has returned is her love of the game, and the only remaining member from the original Fever team in 2000 is having fun again.

"It's a totally different demeanor than she's had the last two years, without a doubt,'' Fever coach Nell Fortner said. "She's getting back to the Stephanie I knew when I coached her at Purdue (1996-97) and saw her play at high school. She just has the love of the game back and a confidence about herself that's really exciting.''

White was an Indiana Miss Basketball and the girls' career scoring leader at Seeger High School near Lafayette before she became an All-American at Purdue. She led the Boilermakers to the 1999 national championship and was drafted that summer by the WNBA's Charlotte Sting.

White was traded to the Fever after one season, starting 57 of 62 games the next two seasons. The injuries though, began to take their toll.

She had two operations on her left ankle and had cartilage removed from her right knee. It was enough to force off her off the court last year. She worked as a sideline reporter for Fever games and was an assistant for a high school team.

"It's not as fun watching from the sidelines,'' she said.

She also got a divorce from her husband, Brent, which became final in January.

With her thoughts refocused on basketball, White started working with a trainer and played pickup games at Purdue. She was healthy, her skills hadn't diminished and many fans still recognized her everywhere she put up a jumper.

White returned to the Fever, without a guarantee of a roster spot. She returned more fit and a better ballhandler. White led the Fever in field-goal shooting and foul shooting, and was third in scoring and assists through three preseason games; she survived Wednesday's roster cuts.

The days of double-digit scoring games and leading teams to championships appear finished for White. She has averaged 6.1 points in three WNBA seasons and will start this season as a reserve guard. That's fine with White, who's happy she rediscovered the passion she thought was lost.

"What else would you rather do than be out there shooting hoops?''