Alexa Philippou, ESPN
Yet one more WNBA crew introduced a training change when the Indiana Fever mentioned Sunday they’ve “parted methods” with head coach Christie Sides.
The Fever, who have been led by 2024 No. 1 choose and rookie of the 12 months Caitlin Clark, are coming off the franchise’s first playoff berth since 2016.
Underneath Sides, who spent two years as head coach, Indiana went 33-47, together with 20-20 in 2024. The Fever’s season ended with a two-game sweep within the first spherical of the playoffs by the Connecticut Solar.
Sides was employed after the 2022 marketing campaign to switch Marianne Stanley and her interim successor, Carlos Knox. Sides had two seasons remaining on a four-year contract. The Fever haven’t had a head coach keep longer than three seasons since Lin Dunn (2008-14).
Indiana began the 2024 season with a 1-8 in document Might, going up in opposition to what ESPN Analytics deemed the hardest schedule within the WNBA previous to the Olympic break. The Fever ultimately found out an id surrounding their new franchise piece in Clark, and from June 1 to Sept. 10 boasted the third-best document within the league at 18-9. Their offensive ranking (109.6 factors per 100 possessions) was greatest within the league after the Olympic break.
“We’re extremely grateful to Coach Sides for embracing the problem of main us via an integral transition interval during the last two seasons, whereas additionally positioning us properly for future development,” Fever president of basketball operations Kelly Krauskopf mentioned in an announcement. “Whereas choices like these are by no means simple, it is usually crucial that we stay daring and assertive within the pursuit of our targets, which incorporates maximizing our expertise and bringing one other WNBA championship again to Indiana. Coach Sides was an unimaginable consultant of the Fever and our neighborhood, and we want her nothing however success sooner or later.”
Earlier this month, Krauskopf — a former Indiana Pacers government who introduced she was returning to the Fever after a prolonged profession with the franchise — appeared to provide a vote of confidence in Sides.
“It takes time,” Krauskopf mentioned in her introductory information convention. “It took a very long time for the groups that I’ve needed to jell and to get collectively, I imply, years. It does not occur in 4 months. It takes a number of years. I used to be actually impressed with the progress that they made and the way Christie is a resilient chief. You realize, she’s a culture-builder. I do know simply that she’s obtained that form of, you recognize, stamina to stay to it and persist with her plan, and he or she’s a great particular person, and he or she’s an ideal chief. I used to be impressed with the best way they completed.”
The Fever, who together with Clark return 2023 rookie of the 12 months Aliyah Boston and hope to re-sign All-Star Kelsey Mitchell in free company, will enter 2025 with a brand new head coach, basic supervisor (the not too long ago employed Amber Cox) and president in Krauskopf.
Indiana is now the sixth WNBA crew with a head-coach opening, alongside the Los Angeles Sparks, Chicago Sky, Atlanta Dream, Dallas Wings and Washington Mystics. Six of the underside seven groups within the standings are all on the lookout for a brand new coach.
