Ned Dishman/NBAE through Getty Pictures
The Chicago Sky have reportedly discovered their subsequent head coach, and will probably be a well-recognized identify for basketball followers.
In keeping with Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, the Sky are “finalizing a deal” to make Basketball Corridor of Famer Teresa Weatherspoon the top coach. Whereas Weatherspoon is greatest often known as a WNBA legend, she has additionally been an assistant coach for the NBA’s New Orleans Pelicans the previous 4 years.
Chicago gained the WNBA championship in 2021 and completed with a 26-10 file in 2022, however the 2023 marketing campaign was a tumultuous one for the franchise.
Franchise icons in Candace Parker (Las Vegas Aces) and Courtney Vandersloot (New York Liberty) signed elsewhere earlier than the season, whereas sharp-shooter Allie Quigley determined to take the 12 months off.
What’s extra, James Wade stepped down as head coach and normal supervisor after 16 video games to affix the Toronto Raptors in an assistant teaching function. The Sky turned towards Emre Vatansever in an interim capability.
The tip end result was a disappointing 18-22 file and first-round exit within the postseason.
Now the hope is WNBA greatness can flip issues round as quickly because the 2024 season.
Weatherspoon performed for the Liberty and Los Angeles Sparks from 1997 via 2004 and was a five-time All-Star who helped usher within the begin of a brand new league. She was a defensive star and glorious ball-handler who was a frontrunner for the Liberty for a lot of her profession.
Following her taking part in profession, Weatherspoon grew to become the top coach of Louisiana Tech’s girls’s basketball crew after which the director of participant and franchise improvement for the Liberty.
New Orleans then hired her as a member of the teaching employees in 2019.
She has loads of teaching expertise at this level and can look to guide the Sky again into title competition after a disappointing season.
