The WNBA has been praised in the past as a leader for its diversity hiring practices.
That hasn’t changed, but some things have.
At the end of the 2022 season, half of the 12 head coaches in the league were Black. Two years later, Seattle’s Noelle Quinn is the only one left after Tanisha Wright was let go in Atlanta and Teresa Weatherspoon was fired in Chicago in the past few weeks. Los Angeles also parted ways with Curt Miller during the same time frame.
“We have three open coaching spots. So we’ll certainly be looking for our owners to have a diverse pool of candidates, and ultimately they’ll make the decision on their head coaches,” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said.
Golden State, which begins play next season, hired Las Vegas assistant Natalie Nakase as its coach on Thursday. She’s the first Asian American head coach in league history.
The teams won’t have to look far to find a qualified pool of Black candidates to fill the three vacancies. There are several Black WNBA assistant coaches, many of whom were former players, who merit consideration, including Briann January, Kristi Toliver and LaToya Sanders. Seattle’s Pokey Chatman and Atlanta’s Vickie Johnson both have been WNBA head coaches.
The WNBA has never had a bigger spotlight on it with the growth of viewership and attendance. With that comes more scrutiny, pressure to succeed and, inevitably, coaching changes. Owners are looking for quick if not immediate turnarounds.
The three coaches who were fired were finishing either their first, second or third year on the job. All dealt with injuries to key players this season.
Weatherspoon was the most surprising of the group, let go by Chicago after just one season. The Sky were in the draft lottery last season and were clearly in rebuilding mode. Weatherspoon connected with the team’s young star Angel Reese and Chennedy Carter, who both expressed their disappointment on social media that she was fired.
Reese posted on X that she was “heartbroken” and “lost for words.” She called Weatherspoon “an unsung hero in my life” who didn’t deserve to be let go.
The Sky brought in a new general manager, Jeff Pagliocca, this past season who was hired a few weeks after the franchise signed Weatherspoon. Before his promotion, Pagliocca’s role with the team included assisting with player development and advising the head coach.
“I don’t know if it contributed to the decision at all, but obviously, it’s rare that a GM is hired afterward,” Pagliocca said. “But we made it work as long as we could.”
Wright had three years in Atlanta and led the team to the postseason the last two before the Dream were knocked out in the first round each time.
Engelbert said having a candidate pool that includes WNBA assistant coaches is not by accident.
“There’s not a Board of Governors meeting that we don’t talk about this,” the commissioner said. “As you know, we’ve made enormous progress especially in the assistant coaching ranks with former WNBA players by essentially focusing on this over the last couple years.”
Some of the Black assistant coaches likely to be considered for open head coaching vacancies:
Briann January, Connecticut
She been an assistant coach for the Connecticut Sun the last two years after a stellar playing career. During her 14-year career, the 37-year-old January was named to the all-defensive team five times.
Kristi Toliver, Phoenix
Toliver, 37, coached in Washington and Phoenix in the WNBA. She also has spent a few years with the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks. Toliver won two titles in the WNBA as a player.
LaToya Sanders, Washington
Sanders coached with the Mystics the past three seasons and was promoted to associate head coach. She had a seven-year playing career in the WNBA. Sanders, 38, was responsible for working with Washington’s post players.
Tyler Marsh, Las Vegas
He has been an assistant with the Aces since 2022 and helped the team win two consecutive WNBA titles. Before that stint, Marsh, 36 spent time in the NBA, G League and NCAA.
Rebekkah Brunson, Minnesota
A five-time WNBA champion, Brunson has been an assistant with the Lynx since 2020 after a standout playing career. The 42-year-old was one of the greatest rebounders in WNBA history. She was a five-time All-Star and was named first-team all-defense.
News
Angel Reese DESTROYS Shaquille O’Neal: “S:e:x:i:s” advice sparks OUTRAGE and ignites WNBA firestorm! [Watch VIDEO BELOW] 😱🔥
Shaq’s controversial suggestion to ‘fix’ the WNBA draws backlash from rising star Angel Reese. Angel Reese is not happy with Shaquille O’Neal’s advice for the WNBA.LAPRESSE The WNBA has…
A $30M Rookie?!’ Caitlin Clark Stuns WNBA with Record-Breaking Earnings in Debut Season!
The Caitlin Clark Effect: How One Player is Revolutionizing WNBA Revenue and Visibility The WNBA has seen an incredible surge in popularity recently, and much of it…
‘Beyond Shocking!’ Megyn Kelly Exposes Caitlin Clark’s Abuse Claims – WNBA Reels!
Megan Kelly’s Bold Critique of WNBA and Caitlyn Clark’s Treatment: A Game-Changer or Unnecessary Controversy? In a move that has stirred significant discussion within the sports world,…
Dave Portnoy Unloads on Angel Reese’s ‘Classless’ Act – Caitlin Clark’s Response Will Shock You!
The Battle for the Spotlight: Angel Reese vs. Caitlyn Clark in Women’s Basketball The WNBA Finals recently showcased not only the talents of its athletes but also…
Caitlin Clark Racial Abuse Scandal: Matt Walsh’s Revelation Shakes the WNBA!
The WNBA’s Race Hysteria: A Controversial Turning Point In recent weeks, the WNBA has found itself at the center of a race-related scandal that many are calling…
What Really Happened? Lexie Hull Spills Juicy Locker Room Secrets on Caitlin Clark!
Introducción Desde las primeras derrotas hasta una transformación inesperada, el Indiana Fever comenzó su temporada con una frustrante racha de 1 victoria y 8 derrotas. Para cualquier…
End of content
No more pages to load