When the Chicago Sky hired Teresa Weatherspoon as their head coach, they knew it was a gamble. Hiring a first-time head coach always is. Despite landing two high draft picks and seeing Chennedy Carter put together a great season, the Sky missed the playoffs. The question is how much of that was Weatherspoon’s fault. After all, she had to deal with an injury-ridden rebuilding squad that saw all of its best players miss significant time with injuries/illness or be traded to the Connecticut Sun.
Nevertheless, the Sky decided to part ways with Weatherspoon after just one season. The move came as a surprise to many, including Angel Reese, who took to social media to express her heartbreak.
Since then, the Sky have hired former Las Vegas Aces assistant coach Tyler Marsh. Marsh has a good reputation with players across the WNBA and a solid track record for his player development. Still, he will have to win over fans in Chicago, many of which wanted to see Weatherspoon get another chance.
3. Develop good relationships with players
Developing good relationships with their players is something every coach should be able to do, but it will be especially important for Marsh if he wants to convince Sky fans that he is the right person for the job. While organizations are not obligated to only hire people their star players approve of, it certainly helps to keep them happy. Reese is beloved by fans who want to see her be happy and successful in the W.
Chicago has seen several big names want out, like Sylvia Fowles and Kahleah Copper. Now that they have one of the next big stars, the Sky do not want Reese to decide that leaving Chicago is for the best as well. Having a coach she trusts and enjoys working with is one important part of hopefully keeping her around long-term.
Plus, if the vibes on the team are good, games are immediately more fun to watch, and that will give Marsh a big bonus with Sky fans.
2. Help Angel Reese improve her outside shot
It is difficult to play a modern style of basketball with two bigs who cannot shoot threes. And yet, the Sky decided to draft both Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese and play them in the frontcourt together. Adding Chennedy Carter, who does not really shoot threes either, to the mix only made things more difficult and gave the Sky little room to work with.
The easiest way to fix that would be for Reese to develop a serviceable outside shot. That way, she could establish herself as a threat from beyond the arc and space the floor. Marsh has done this kind of work before, helping Jackie Young develop her 3-point shot.
If he can do the same for Reese, it would not only improve the Sky’s chances for future success but also help Reese grow her game significantly. If Chennedy Carter returns to the Sky for the 2025 season, Marsh may even be able to help improve her shot as well to add a cherry on top.
1. Improve the Sky’s late-game execution
The one fault people often found with Teresa Weatherspoon’s coaching during the 2024 WNBA season was the Sky’s poor late-game execution. Chicago was one of the worst teams when it came to scoring in the fourth quarter and lost eight games by five or fewer points during the season.
The Sky were not particularly impressive on either end of the floor, finishing the season eighth in defensive rating and eleventh in offensive rating. That might not look much different next season, so the team will have to be able to execute when it matters the most to win games.
Being able to stay in games slowly but surely loses its value if you cannot execute down the stretch and secure the win.
Marsh is also a first-time head coach, but he has significant experience from his prior positions on WNBA coaching staffs and may be able to improve aspects of the game, like execution in high-pressure situations, that Weatherspoon still struggled with. If he can do that right from the start, Sky fans will immediately feel confident in their new head coach.