Ad image

Sky have given the Aces a new coach, hiring Becky Hammon’s former assistant.

MONews
3 Min Read

CHICAGO — The Chicago Sky have found a new coach, Tyler Marsh.

Marsh, 36, was an assistant coach under Becky Hammon with the Las Vegas Aces, who won back-to-back WNBA titles in 2022 and 2023.

The decision comes just five weeks after the Sky fired Teresa Weatherspoon after her debut season as a WNBA coach, and one day after the Indiana Fever hired Stephanie White for their coaching vacancy. A league source confirmed the hire, which ESPN first reported on Saturday.

The firing of Weatherspoon, a founding WNBA member and Naismith Hall of Famer, outraged fans, coaches and players across the league. The biggest critic of this decision was Sky’s star, Angel Rees, after being selected seventh in the draft.

But Reese had a brief reaction to Marsh’s hiring on Saturday, posting the letter “W” to reflect her approval.

Before joining Hammon’s staff, Marsh was an assistant coach and video coordinator in the NBA for the Indiana Pacers and Toronto Raptors, with whom he worked on another title run in 2019. Marsh logged five years as an assistant coach prior to his NBA career. In the G League.

This is the second member of Hammon’s coaching tree to assume a head coaching role in the WNBA for the 2025 season. Former head assistant Natalie Nakase was hired in October to coach the expansion franchise in the Golden State Valkyries’ inaugural season.

Marsh is well known throughout the WNBA as a player development coach. The Aces credited Jackie Young with building the foundation for his growth, primarily in his 3-point shooting, which earned him the 2022 Most Improved Player award. The Sky have Kamilla Cardoso, Reese and two first-round rookies expected to join next year’s roster after the 2025 draft.

Over the past two offseasons, Marsh has consistently ranked near the top of the list of potential WNBA coaching hires, reflecting the excitement surrounding her potential. But this is another minor gamble by Sky, who fired Weatherspoon in part due to a lack of structure on and off the court due to his lack of coaching experience.

General manager Jeff Pagliocca has highlighted structure and discipline as two keys to Sky’s coaching search. As a first-year head coach who has never been a senior assistant before, Marsh will be relatively inexperienced as he attempts to instill that identity with the Sky.

The hire reflects Pagliocca’s clear belief that Marsh is better positioned to learn quickly in the role and more closely aligns with his vision for a roster that was significantly revamped through draft picks and trades last season.

____

Share This Article