Indiana Fever guard Lexie Hull spoke on Christie Sides’ firing in on Monday.
“It’s onerous. On this occupation, issues are so fluid,” Hull instructed the Ringer’s Seerat Sohi on the most recent episode of The Ringer WNBA present. “You by no means know what to anticipate, you by no means get comfy. Heading into subsequent 12 months, this can be my fourth head coach in 4 years.”
Since Hull was drafted by the Fever in 2022, the franchise has been lead by three coaches — Marianne Stanley, Carlos Knox, and, most just lately Christie Sides. Hull performed below Sides for 2 seasons, through which the Fever accrued a 33-37 document.
“It’s a loopy job. I’m actually unhappy for Christie; I believe she’s an important individual and an important chief,” Hull stated. “I’m excited to see what she does sooner or later, and enthusiastic about the place our new coach will take us.”
Within the simply over a month, seven WNBA coaches have departed their franchise: Curt Miller (Los Angeles Sparks), Teresa Weatherspoon (Chicago Sky), Tanisha Wright (Atlanta Dream), Latricia Trammell (Dallas Wings), Eric Thibault (Washington Mystics), Christie Sides (Indiana Fever) and Stephanie White (Connecticut Solar).
As well as, the Las Vegas Aces, Wings, and Mystics all now have normal supervisor vacancies, with a really actual risk that extra firings are within the works.
“It’s unlucky,” Hull stated. “Simply wanting on the league — seven new head coaches, that’s an insane statistic. Groups are going to look so totally different. They’re going to play totally different. It’s an thrilling future for the league, nevertheless it’s unhappy to see some eras are ending.”
In the mean time, it’s not but clear if numerous the identical coaches can be reshuffled to new franchises — or if a brand new crop of coaches will emerge. Stephanie White has been linked to Indiana, whereas who different groups may rent stays to be seen.
Because it at present stands, the one returning WNBA coaches are Becky Hammon (Las Vegas Aces), Cheryl Reeve (Minnesota Lynx), Nate Tibbetts (Phoenix Mercury), Sandy Brondello (New York Liberty), and Noelle Quinn (Seattle Storm). Hammon, Reeve, and Brondello have all gained a number of WNBA championships. Tibbetts simply completed his first season in Mercury after greater than a decade as an NBA assistant, whereas Quinn has been head coach of the Storm for 4 seasons after a protracted WNBA taking part in profession.
There’s an excellent query about whether or not a brand new crop of potential coaches may come from school, the NBA or different sources. It’s potential that almost all of the league’s fired coaches will merely discover themselves with a special franchise, nevertheless it’s additionally potential that the league can be infused with a brand new inflow of expertise. The standing of teaching within the WNBA has undoubtedly been elevated over the previous few years.
“I believe it’s shifting in a superb path, as a result of it’s extra aggressive and there’s extra eyes on it, the pool of coaches that we are able to select from can solely get larger and larger,” Hull stated. “We’re going to have nice coaches arising, and simply excited to see what these eras seem like. It’s unpredictable at this level, however I’m excited to see what it’s going to seem like a 12 months from now.”
