Did Sky Commit to HC Tyler Marsh Too Soon?
The Chicago Sky have not made the playoffs since 2023. A two year absence hardly seems something to fret about, but the Sky also won the WNBA championship four years ago.
Chicago's front office has been active since the 2025 WNBA regular season wrapped up. In addition to the news breaking that Angel Reese, Ariel Atkins, and Courtney Vandersloot would not have exit interviews conducted, but head coach Tyler Marsh will be back for a second season with the team.
After the 2024 WNBA season, Sky general manager Jeff Pagliocca fired Teresa Weatherspoon. The former New York Liberty player lasted one season after delivering just 13 wins during Reese's rookie season.
In comes Marsh, who had served as an assistant coach for Becky Hammon on the Las Vegas Aces bench. Hammon and Weatherspoon were two of the original Liberty players during the league's inaugural season in 1997.
Pagliocca seems to believe in Marsh's reputation as a player development specialist. Yet, Chicago could have gone with other options included any one of two former WNBA champions that were let go this week.
A ten win coach is better than a coach who took their team to the playoffs twice in a row?
That's a fair question to ask. Ever since Noelle Quinn took over as the head coach of the Storm mid-season in 2021, Seattle has made the postseason four out of the past five years. This includes a WNBA Commissioners' Cup title in Quinn's first year with the Storm.
Days later, the Liberty shocked the WNBA fans by letting their coach Brondello go after back-to-back trips to the Finals. For the first time in franchise history, New York won a title.
According to a report from Annie Costabile with Front Office Sports, "The Chicago Sky and Dallas Wings are two franchises with records that often come with a change." Costabile also cited that "According to multiple sources, neither franchise will pursue coaching staff changes ahead of 2026.”
Marsh's championship experience as an assistant earned him a multi-year contract with the intent of helping both Reese and center Kamilla Cardoso grow. Both Sky players have two years left on their rookie contracts.
Outside of Reese and Cardoso, only the rookies, Hailey Van Lith and Maddy Westbeld, are signed to return for next season and beyond. The rest of the roster will have to be finalized between free agency, the 2026 WNBA Draft, and perhaps the trade market.
Pagliocca and the Sky have committed to Marsh, at least for the 2026 WNBA regular season. Chicago's front office believes they have the right man for the job.
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.