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Sky Could Benefit From Storm Firing Head Coach

If the Chicago Sky look to upgrade the head coach position, they could bring in the recently fired Seattle Storm coach.

Scott Conrad

Sep 16, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Storm head coach Noelle Quinn gestures to her team during the second half during game two of round one for the 2025 WNBA Playoffs against the Las Vegas Aces at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images
Sep 16, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Storm head coach Noelle Quinn gestures to her team during the second half during game two of round one for the 2025 WNBA Playoffs against the Las Vegas Aces at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images / Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images

The Chicago Sky's season ended sooner than the Seattle Storm's did. Entering this week, both former WNBA champions are watching the remaining four teams in the league compete for the 2025 WNBA title.

Chicago won their one and only title four seasons ago in 2021. However, after a pair of disappointing seasons with two different head coaches, the Sky may have a potential replacement for current head coach Tyler Marsh.

First-year head coach Tyler Marsh joined the Chicago Sky after three seasons as an assistant with the Las Vegas Aces.
Aug 19, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Sky head coach Tyler Marsh talks to forward Angel Reese (5) during the second half of a WNBA game against the Seattle Storm at Wintrust Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images / Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

The four-time WNBA champion Storm announced they fired head coach Noelle Quinn. She not only was a former player of theirs on two occasions, but Quinn has been a part of Seattle's coaching staff since 2019.

The Sky failed to make the playoffs in their first seven seasons. Chicago went through three different head coaches before hiring Pokey Chatman and qualifying for their first-ever postseason berth in 2013. That season, the Sky had Rookie of the Year winner Elena Della Donne and Defensive Player of the Year Sylvia Fowles.

That was a dozen seasons ago. Since then, the Sky have never gone more than two seasons in a row without making the playoffs. If they fail to get into the postseason in 2026, that streak will be broken.

How Noelle Quinn can return the Sky back to the WNBA Playoffs

The Los Angeles, California native has an accomplished resume as a player and a young coach in this league. In her last season playing in the WNBA, Quinn won a championship with the Storm. After retiring, Seattle immediately brought her on as an assistant head coach in 2019.

Quinn then was promoted to associate head coach in time for the 2020 WNBA regular season. The Storm won their fourth and most recent WNBA title in franchise history. A year later, Quinn became the head coach for Seattle.

She took over for Dan Hughes after her stepped down as the head coach of the the Storm. In Quinn's first year in charge, Seattle made won the WNBA Commissioner's Cup in 2021. They have made the playoffs in each of the last five seasons except for the 2023 season.

Now that former Seattle Storm head coach Noelle Quinn is available, the Chicago Sky could fire Tyler Marsh and replace him.
Aug 28, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Chicago Sky head coach Tyler Marsh against the Phoenix Mercury at Phx Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

In 2023, the Las Vegas Aces won their second WNBA title in as many years. Marsh was one of the assistant coaches on staff for Becky Hammond, another former WNBA player.

After taking over a 13-win teams from former Sky head coach Teresa Weatherspoon, Chicago barely won 10 game in 2025 under the first season with Marsh calling plays. Turnovers, offensive scoring and the ability to stop teams are what plagued the Sky this season.

Whether Marsh or Quinn is the Sky's head coach, they hav four players under contract for 2026: Angel Reese & Kamilla Cardoso.
May 29, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Sky guard Rebecca Allen (9), guard Ariel Atkins (7), guard Courtney Vandersloot (22), center Kamilla Cardoso (10), and forward Angel Reese (5) are seen during the first half against the Dallas Wings at the Wintrust Arena. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images / Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images

If the Sky want to keep stars Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso happy, they may need to make another change with the coaching staff. Quinn is the second-winningest head coach in Storm history. Despite a 97-89 record during four a half seasons, the former Storm head coach was just 4-8 in 12 playoff games.

No announcements have been by Sky general manager Jeff Pagliocca. However, Chicago may be monitoring other movement in the head coaching pool.

Regardless, Reese and Cardoso want to be in their first ever postseason. The Sky don't want their first-three year absence in over a decade.

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Scott Conrad
SCOTT CONRAD

My name is Scott Conrad and I am a Contributor for the Chicago Sky with Sports Illustrated.com. I am also a Contributor with FanSided on NinerNoise, as well as Da Windy City. In addition, I am the Site Editor/Expert for The View from Avalon. I spent two seasons (2015 & 2016) with the Tampa Bay Times as a Correspondent covering high school football. I am a two-time published author with more work to come. In my teenage years, I started watching both MLS and WNBA start in 1996 and grow to be the juggernauts they are in their respective sports. Much love to the career on and off the court for fellow-Napervillian and former Sky forward Candace Parker. Outside of the sports journalism world, I am a travel volleyball coach. I accepted the Head Coach position with Greater Cincinnati Volleyball Club for their U13-2 team. In terms of active sports, I play volleyball, soccer, softball, kickball and train in mixed martial arts.

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