Chicago Sky to hire Hall of Famer Teresa Weatherspoon as next head coach

Teresa Weatherspoon, a Hall of Famer, is set to return to the WNBA as the head coach of the Chicago Sky, according to a report from The Athletic’s Shams Charania. Weatherspoon will take over for Emre Vatansever, who served as the team’s interim head coach during the second half of the previous season.

Weatherspoon had a successful playing career in the WNBA, primarily with the New York Liberty. She played from 1997 to 2004, earning five All-Star selections and leading the Liberty to four WNBA Finals appearances. She was also named Defensive Player of the Year twice and won two Olympic medals with Team USA. In 2019, she was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Prior to joining the Chicago Sky, Weatherspoon served as the head coach of the Louisiana Tech women’s basketball team, where she led the program to two NCAA tournament appearances. She also worked as an assistant coach for the New Orleans Pelicans in the NBA and had a positive impact on players like Zion Williamson.

Despite her success, Weatherspoon’s tenure with the Pelicans ended abruptly. Now, she will have the opportunity to prove herself as a head coach in the WNBA and bring stability to the Chicago Sky, who have had multiple coaching changes in recent years.

Vatansever took over as the interim head coach of the Sky after James Wade stepped down to join the Toronto Raptors. Wade had led the team to their first WNBA championship in 2021. Vatansever guided the team to the playoffs but was eliminated in the first round. The Sky organization then parted ways with Vatansever and began their search for a new head coach and general manager.