After a historic WNBA season, eight head teaching vacancies opened up throughout the league: the Golden State Valkyries wanted their franchise’s first-ever coach, whereas the Indiana Fever, Connecticut Solar, Dallas Wings, Atlanta Dream, Washington Mystics, Los Angeles Sparks, and Chicago Sky all parted methods with their 2024 coaches and have been thus on the hunt as properly.
5 of the eight vacancies have already been stuffed. The Fever employed Stephanie White after her two-year Solar tenure. The Dream and the Sparks recognized NCAA expertise, hiring Karl Smesko and Lynne Roberts, respectively. The Valkyries and Sky snagged skilled assistants from the Las Vegas Aces, hiring Natalie Nakase and Tyler Marsh.
However, three groups nonetheless want to search out head coaches: the Washington Mystics, Connecticut Solar, and Dallas Wings. That’s notable as a result of groups need to submit their six protected gamers to the Golden State Valkyries this week. The WNBA will maintain an growth draft for the Valkyries on December sixth. After that, the following large date is the WNBA Draft, which is slated for mid-April.
Washington Mystics
The Mystics at the moment have vacancies in two key management positions: they’re on the hunt for each a head coach and a normal supervisor. Washington, recent off of a 14-26 season, parted methods with normal supervisor Mike Thibault and his son, head coach Eric Thibault.
The Mystics are owned by Monumental Sports activities, who additionally personal the NBA’s Wizards and the NHL’s Capitals. Michael Winger controls each the Mystics and the Wizards as a part of his function as Monumental’s president of basketball, and Winger reportedly plans on taking over a bigger function with the Mystic’s operations transferring ahead. The truth that the Wings and Mystics have the identical individual in cost is completely different from different NBA/WNBA group’s possession construction.
Dallas Wings
The Wings have a brand new normal supervisor, Curt Miller, and the No. 1 decide within the 2025 draft. However, they’re nonetheless on the hunt for a brand new head coach after letting go of Latricia Trammell after two seasons on the helm.
Miller has acknowledged that profitable the draft lottery ought to assist them in that pursuit.
“For somebody like myself who’s simply began the top teaching search, what a chance to be out speaking to go teaching candidates to take over the Dallas Wings teaching job, realizing that we now have the upcoming No. 1 decide,” Miller advised reporters quickly after the Wings received the lottery.
Connecticut Solar
Stephanie White left the Solar after two profitable seasons that noticed the Solar come shut to WNBA Finals appearances — however nonetheless be eradicated within the semi-finals in consecutive years. White would be the head coach of the Indiana Fever subsequent season.
Solar President Jen Rizzotti advised the Connecticut Insider’s Maggie Vanoni that she want to discover a head coach who could be with the group year-round.
“I ideally would love to search out somebody who’s dedicated to Connecticut, the group, the in-season, low season dedication, 12 months out of the yr,” Rizzotti stated. “We haven’t had that. We in all probability haven’t at all times wanted that, however going ahead, it’s in all probability one thing that’s going to be actually essential for lots of franchises.”
Rizzotti additionally pointed to the truth that the Solar have been a steady group in recent times.
“I believe a whole lot of coaches are searching for a way of safety, proper, and a way of general help,” Rizzotti stated. “And you’ll’t deny that the Connecticut Solar group during the last twenty years has been very robust and safe. There’s not been a whole lot of turmoil.”
