Tyler Marsh was appointed the Chicago Sky’s head coach last November. The upcoming season will mark his WNBA coaching debut as he was previously an assistant the Las Vegas Aces under Becky Hammon. He came to the Chicago Sky after Theresa Weatherspoon was relinquished from her duties at the franchise.
Weatherspoon’s departure was surprising as she was only at the Chicago Sky for a year. Players like Angel Reese were negatively affected by the news that Weatherspoon wasn’t going to be the coach. Reese posted on Twitter that she is ”lost for words…” after finding out the only person who understands her is leaving. Chennedy Carter also left the franchise after news filtered through to her about Weatherspoon being relinquished from her duties. Her departure is also unfortunate as injuries down the stretch of the campaign hindered what would have been a solid first year at the helm for Weatherspoon. Marsh has big shoes to fill as players rated Weatherspoon highly. Despite this, we will explore why Marsh could prove to be a solid acquisition for the Sky.
Tyler Marsh Could be Impactful For the Chicago Sky
Tyler Marsh’s Appointment Makes Sense
Marsh was part of a hugely successful period with the Las Vegas Aces. During his three years there, he won two championships as well as a Commissioner’s Cup in 2022. This shows that he knows what it takes to win as he has achieved great things with Becky Hammon. He would have learned a lot from her as she is great on and off the court.
His Experience Is Invaluable
Marsh’s achievements can help Chicago Sky take the next step. This is what the franchise need after two years in the wilderness. Last season, they didn’t make the playoffs, and in 2023, they were swept in the first round by the Las Vegas Aces.
He has experience coaching A’ja Wilson, Jackie Young, and Kelsey Plum. This means mentoring stars like Kamila Cardoso and Angel Reese will not be difficult. If he can get the best out of these two, then the Chicago Sky could be a solid playoff team next season, especially if Reese and Cardoso take a significant leap.
It Could Destabilize The Las Vegas Aces
The Las Vegas Aces needed to make adjustments to their coaching staff following the departure of Tyler Marsh. Tyrone Ellis has joined the organization as Hammon’s assistant, which in itself has risks. Ellis hasn’t been an assistant coach in the WNBA despite being a coach for 12 years. This is a gamble as it remains to be seen how his coaching will translate in the WNBA.
It is hard to believe Ellis has not coached in this league as he was assistant coach of the Phoenix Suns in the 2017-18 season and has been a coach for 12 years. Having an assistant coach with no experience in the league is a far from ideal situation to be in. It remains to be seen how an inexperienced coach will be able to handle superstars such as Wilson and Young.
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