Chicago Sky fire coach Teresa Weatherspoon after 1 season

The Chicago Sky fired coach Teresa Weatherspoon after just one season, the team announced Friday.

The Sky hired Weatherspoon as the franchise’s head coach on October 12, 2023, after spending four seasons as an assistant with the New Orleans Pelicans.

“After careful consideration, we have determined that it is in the best interest of the organization to part ways with Head Coach Teresa Weatherspoon,” Chicago co-owner and president of operations Nadia Rawlinson said in a statement. “We are extremely grateful for Coach TSpoon’s contributions to the Chicago Sky, and the energy and passion she brings to the role of head coach. We thank her for inspiring a competitive, resilient spirit throughout the team, synonymous with Chicago Sky basketball.

“We remain firmly committed to being a playoff and championship contender every year, and we will begin a thorough search for our next head coach. TSpoon will always be part of the Skytown family and we wish her all the best.”

The Chicago Sky announced today that Teresa Weatherspoon will not retain the role of Head Coach for the 2025 season. pic.twitter.com/A9Sc3dL9vF

— Chicago Sky (@chicagosky) September 27, 2024

The Sky finished 13-27 in Weatherspoon’s first season as coach and failed to make the playoffs. Weatherspoon coached a young Chicago team that featured two top-10 picks in the 2024 WNBA Draft: Kamilla Cardoso (No. 3) and Angel Reese (No. 7).

A 2024 WNBA All-Star, Reese set several rookie and WNBA records during her first season in the league. Reese’s 446 total rebounds in a single season surpassed Sylvia Fowles’ previous WNBA record (404). She also set a WNBA record in consecutive double-doubles with 15.

Reese said she was “heartbroken” about Weatherspoon’s firing. in a message shared with X on Thursday evening.

“She was the only person who believed in me,” Reese said. “You didn’t deserve this, but I can’t thank you enough. I love your teaspoon.”

Before serving as the Pelicans’ assistant coach, Weatherspoon coached Louisiana Tech from 2009 to 2014. As a player, Weatherspoon was named to the WNBA Top 20@20 list, awarded to the greatest players in WNBA history as part of the 20 anniversary of the competition. celebration.

Weatherspoon played for the New York Liberty as one of the league’s original players (1997 to 2003) before joining the Los Angeles Sparks in 2004. Weatherspoon was a five-time All-Star and two-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year in her eighth career. year career.

The Sky will be looking for a head coach for the second consecutive offseason. James Wade stepped down as Sky coach and general manager on July 1, 2023, to become an assistant coach with the Toronto Raptors. Wade coached the Sky to the franchise’s first WNBA championship in 2021. Emre Vatansever served as interim coach and GM until the end of the 2023 season before the Sky announced he would not return.

Despite missing play-offs, Weatherspoon helped develop the young core

During the first half of the season, the Sky were one of the biggest positive surprises of the competition. Although they were eighth in the standings, they were sixth in net rating, showing an improvement in offense. Rookie forward Reese seemed to blossom under Weatherspoon, who also played under Kim Mulkey when she was an athlete at Louisiana Tech.

“I love Coach [Weatherspoon]“She looks a little like Coach Mulkey,” Reese said during the first half of the season. “To be a tough coach, you have to have thick skin [around]. You also have to be willing to be coached by her.”

Reese wasn’t the only rookie to flourish under Weatherspoon. After missing the start of the season with an injury, center Cardoso made a late appearance, scoring in double figures in all but two games in the second half of the season. Chennedy Carter also seemed to find a coach and system that believed in her and brought out the best in her.

“One thing I’m super proud of about this team is how competitive they are and how hard they continued to play every night,” Weatherspoon said Friday. — Ben Pickman, women’s basketball staff writer

Who could replace Weatherspoon?

Weatherspoon was hired before first-year general manager Jeff Pagliocca. And while the team emphasized their relationship as a partnership, the upcoming head coaching appointment will be Pagliocca’s first since taking on the role.

Chicago becomes the second franchise to change head coaches this week after the Los Angeles Sparks parted ways with Curt Miller. The Golden State Valkyries also have not yet announced their inaugural head coach.

Chicago will likely once again separate the GM and coaching jobs (something the franchise did for the first time last year). As the coaching market heats up, look at Connecticut Sun assistant Briann January, Phoenix Mercury assistant Kristi Toliver and Las Vegas Aces assistant Natalie Nakase as potential names to watch in the cycle.

Like Pagliocca, Aces assistant Tyler Marsh has a background in player development and could be an option for a young team. During last year’s coaching search, the Sky spoke with former Memphis Grizzlies assistant coach Sonia Raman. Her pre-NBA background was in women’s basketball — as an assistant at Wellesley from 2002 to 2008 and head coach at MIT from 2008 to 2020 — and she could be an option, too.

Another name to keep an eye on is Storm assistant Pokey Chatman, who was Chicago’s head coach from 2011-2016 and later also head coach of the Indiana Fever. Pickman

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(Photo: Mike Lawrie/Getty Images)