Editor's Note: The video in this story is from a previous report.
The Chicago Sky Friday morning confirmed they fired head coach Teresa Weatherspoon following a disappointing 2024 season that saw the club narrowly miss out on a postseason berth.
The announcement comes a day after other outlets said Weatherspoon had been fired, citing reports.
“After careful consideration, we have decided it is in the best interest of the organization to part ways with Head Coach Teresa Weatherspoon,” Nadia Rawlinson Chicago Sky co-owner and operating chairman said in a statement. “We are deeply appreciative of Coach TSpoon’s contributions to the Chicago Sky, and the energy and passion she brought to the head coaching role. We thank her for inspiring a competitive, resilient spirit across the team, synonymous with Chicago Sky basketball."
Rawlinson's statement went on to say the organization remains a "steadfastly committed to being a playoff and championship contender every year," and that the club will soon embark on a "thorough" search for the Sky's next head coach.
Thursday, Chicago Sky star Angel Reese posted an emotional farewell to Weatherspoon, saying she was "heartbroken."
"She was the only person who believed in me," Reese's post said in part. "Many people don't even know what its like to be a black women in sports when nobody believes in you."
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Weatherspoon, who played in the WNBA from 1997-2004, was hired as the team's head coach in October 2023 after a three-season tenure as an assistant coach with the New Orleans Pelicans.
Despite missing out on the playoffs by a small margin, the Sky finished 2024 with a 13-27 record, a step back from the team's 18 wins in 2023 despite the addition of Angel Reese, who set the WNBA single-season rebounding record in her rookie year.
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The Sky were coached under James Wade to begin the 2023 season, though he resigned in July 2023 to take a position as an assistant coach with the Toronto Raptors.
The Sky finished 2023 under interim head coach Emre Vatansever, with the team going 11-13 under his direction.
