Teresa Weatherspoon and the Sky Close to Signing Contract for Hall of Famer as Head Coach

Reports suggest that the Chicago Sky have secured their next head coach, and it’s a name that basketball fans will recognize.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, the Sky are in the final stages of negotiations to appoint Basketball Hall of Famer Teresa Weatherspoon as their head coach. While Weatherspoon is renowned as a WNBA legend, she has also spent the past four years as an assistant coach for the NBA’s New Orleans Pelicans.

After winning the WNBA championship in 2021 and finishing with a 26-10 record in 2022, the Sky experienced a tumultuous 2023 campaign.

The franchise saw key players such as Candace Parker (Las Vegas Aces) and Courtney Vandersloot (New York Liberty) leave before the season, while Allie Quigley chose to take a year off.

Additionally, James Wade resigned as head coach and general manager after 16 games to join the Toronto Raptors in an assistant coaching role, leading the Sky to appoint Emre Vatansever in an interim capacity.

This resulted in a disappointing 18-22 record and a first-round exit in the postseason.

The expectation now is that Teresa Weatherspoon’s WNBA expertise can turn things around in the 2024 season.

Weatherspoon played for the Liberty and Los Angeles Sparks from 1997 to 2004 and was a five-time All-Star who played a pivotal role in the league’s early years. A defensive standout and exceptional ball-handler, she served as a leader for the Liberty throughout her career.

Following her playing career, Weatherspoon became the head coach of Louisiana Tech’s women’s basketball team and then the director of player and franchise development for the Liberty.

In 2019, she was hired by the New Orleans Pelicans as part of their coaching staff.

With her extensive coaching experience, she aims to guide the Sky back to championship contention after a disappointing season.