The WNBA coaching carousel is about to start turning as the Connecticut Sun announced they are parting ways with coach Stephanie White.
Seven teams out of the league’s 13 are in search of a head coach, including the Chicago Sky, who recently fired Teresa Weatherspoon after a 13-27 debut season. Other teams looking for a new coach are the Indiana Fever, Dallas Wings, Los Angeles Sparks, Washington Mystics, and Atlanta Dream.
This commotion is due to the WNBA being in a phase of significant change, requiring more from coaching staff in terms of player development, in-game strategy, and overall basketball knowledge.
Considering these factors, the focus for new hires should not be on former players with limited coaching experience, nor should it be on previous head coaches who may bring the same weaknesses to a new team.
The Sky’s hiring process will be different this time with general manager Jeff Pagliocca leading the way. Their priorities include hiring a high-discipline coach to build a structured system for developing young players such as Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese.
The options for the Sky include hiring a top former head coach like Stephanie White or Curt Miller, or bringing in a lead assistant from another WNBA team who is ready for a head coaching role.
Alternatively, they could consider looking at NBA benches for highly qualified coaches who could be enticed into a WNBA head coaching position with growing salaries, much like the Phoenix Mercury did with Nate Tibbetts.
Here are five potential options for the Sky:
1. Stephanie White
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