On Thursday, the Chicago Sky tapped WNBA royalty in Teresa Weatherspoon to be the team’s new head coach.
Weatherspoon, the fiery point guard selected by the New York Liberty with the 10th overall pick in the league’s inaugural 1997 draft, rose to become one of the greatest players in league history.
She spent eight years in the league, the first seven with the Liberty. During her career, Weatherspoon was a 5x WNBA All-Star Starter, 4x All-WNBA Second Team, two-time Defensive Player of the Year and the first player in league history to be named DPOY as a rookie in 1997. In 2016, she cemented her WNBA legacy by being named to the league’s Top-20 best and most influential players in WNBA history.
Weatherspoon led the Liberty to the first-ever WNBA Finals in 1997 and again in 1999. She ranks second on the team’s All-Time Minutes played list (6,842), first on All-Time Assists (1,306) and first in All-Time Steals (453). She’s also a 2x Olympic medalist with Team USA, winning Gold in 1988 and Bronze in 1992.
Her lengthy accolades resulted in five Hall of Fame inductions including the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (2019), Texas Sports Hall of Fame (2020), Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame (2010), Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame (2010) and the Louisiana Tech Athletic Hall of Fame (1995).
Now one of the greatest basketball players in history will be leading the Chicago Sky.
“I’m excited to be a part of the Chicago Sky Family,” said Weatherspoon in a team release. “To be the leader, as Head Coach, of an organization in a city with so much history and culture is a dream come true. The things that we are about to do as a team, a business and in the community will be rooted in excitement, excellence and hard work. I am thankful to the entire Chicago organization for going through this process and selecting me. I can’t wait to get to work!”
The Sky is getting a star player and an experienced leader with over a decade of coaching experience.
Weatherspoon began her coaching career in 2007 as head coach of the Westchester Phantoms of the American Basketball Association. A year later, the former 2x All-American and 1988 NCAA Champion returned to her alma mater, Louisiana Tech, as an assistant coach and later was promoted to head coach in 2009. Under her guidance, the team made back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances (2010-11), won a WAC Tournament title (2010) and two regular-season championships (2009, 2011).
After leaving collegiate coaching, she returned to the Liberty as its first Director of Player and Franchise Development in 2015. After four seasons, she headed to New Orleans to work as a coach with the Pelicans until the Sky called.
“We are thrilled to welcome Teresa Weatherspoon as the new head coach of the Chicago Sky,” said Sky Co-Owner & Operating Chairman Nadia Rawlinson. “A WNBA legend and five-time All-Star, Olympian, and college national champion, Teresa brings a wealth of NBA and college coaching experience to the Sky. Her standard of excellence and history of winning at all levels, passion, energy, and skill in player development make Teresa the perfect choice to build on our championship culture and usher in an exciting new era.”
And if you know Coach Weatherspoon, then you know that new era will be an intense one with lots of hard work. Congrats coach!
