The WNBA is Previously praised as a leader Because of diversity hiring practices.
That hasn’t changed, but a few things have.
As of the end of the 2022 season, half of the league’s 12 head coaches were black. Two years later, Seattle’s Noelle Quinn is the only one left after Tanisha Wright was fired in Atlanta and Teresa Weatherspoon left. I got fired from Chicago. Over the past few weeks. Los Angeles also parted ways with Kurt Miller during the same period.
“We have three open coaching spots. So we will look to the owners to ensure they have a diverse pool of candidates, and ultimately they will make the decision to coach,” said WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert.
Golden State, which is about to open next season, hired Las Vegas head coach Natalie Nakase as its head coach on the 23rd. she is the first Asian American Director In league history.
The team doesn’t have to look far to find a pool of qualified Black candidates to fill the three vacancies. There are several Black WNBA assistant coaches, many of whom are former players, and worth considering, including Briann January, Kristi Toliver, and LaToya Sanders. Seattle’s Pokey Chatman and Atlanta’s Vickie Johnson were both WNBA coaches.
The WNBA has never been more in the spotlight for its growing viewership and audience. This brings greater scrutiny, pressure to succeed, and inevitably changes to coaching. Owners want quick, if not instant, processing.
The three coaches who were fired had completed their first, second and third years. They’ve all dealt with injuries to key players this season.
Weatherspoon was the most surprising of the group, leaving Chicago after just one season. The Sky entered the draft lottery last season and were clearly in rebuilding mode. Weatherspoon has been linked to the team’s young stars, Angel Reese and Chennedy Carter, both of whom expressed their disappointment at being let go on social media.
lease She posted on X that she was “heartbroken” and “at a loss for words.” She called Weatherspoon “the unsung hero of my life” who wasn’t worth letting go.
The Sky have a new general manager, Jeff Pagliocca, who was hired just weeks after the franchise signed Weatherspoon last season. Prior to his promotion, Pagliocca had a role with the team, supporting player development and advising the manager.
“I don’t know if this contributed to the decision at all, but obviously GMs are rarely hired later,” Pagliocca said. “But we made it work for as long as we could.”
Wright spent three years in Atlanta, leading the team to the postseason the final two years before the Dream were eliminated in the first round each time.
Engelbert said having a pool of candidates that includes WNBA assistant coaches is no coincidence.
“There’s not a board meeting where we don’t talk about this,” the commissioner said. “As you know, we have made tremendous progress by essentially focusing on this issue, particularly in the assistant coaching ranks of former WNBA players, over the past few years.”
Some of the Black assistant coaches who may be considered for open head coaching vacancies:
Brian January (Connecticut)
She has served as an assistant coach for the Connecticut Sun for the past two years following a standout playing career. During his 14-year career, January, 37, was named to the All-Defensive team five times.
Christy Tolliver, Phoenix
Tolliver, 37, coached in the WNBA in Washington and Phoenix. She also spent several years with the Dallas Mavericks. Toliver won two titles as a player in the WNBA.
LaToya Sanders (Washington)
Sanders has coached with the Mystics for the past three seasons and was promoted to assistant head coach. She played seven years in the WNBA. Sanders, 38, was responsible for working with Washington’s post players.
Tyler Marsh, Las Vegas
He has been an assistant for the Aces since 2022, helping the team win two consecutive WNBA titles. Before that, Marsh, 36, spent time in the NBA, G League and NCAA.
Rebecca Brunson (Minnesota)
Brunson, a five-time WNBA champion, has been an assistant for the Lynx since 2020 after an incredible playing career. The 42-year-old was one of the greatest rebounders in WNBA history. She was a five-time All-Star and a first-team all-defensive selection during her career.
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