The Chicago Sky have found their new coach: Tyler Marsh.
Marsh, 36, was an assistant coach under Becky Hammon with the Las Vegas Aces, who won back-to-back WNBA titles in 2022 and 2023.
The decision came barely five weeks after the Sky fired Teresa Weatherspoon after her debut season as a WNBA coach — and one day after the Indiana Fever hired Stephanie White for their coaching vacancy. A league source confirmed the hire, which ESPN first reported Saturday.
Firing Weatherspoon — a Naismith Hall of Famer who was a founding member of the WNBA — drew ire from fans, coaches and players around the league. The most vocal critic of the decision was star Angel Reese, who anchored the Sky after being selected No. 7 in the draft.
But Reese issued a simple reaction to the Marsh hire Saturday, posting one letter to reflect her approval: “W.”
Before joining Hammon’s staff, Marsh was an assistant coach and video coordinator in the NBA with the Indiana Pacers and the Toronto Raptors, with whom he was part of another title run in 2019. Before his NBA career, Marsh logged five years as an assistant coach in the G League.
This is the second member of Hammon’s coaching tree to land a head coach role in the WNBA for the 2025 season. Former lead assistant Natalie Nakase was hired by the Golden State Valkyries in October to coach the expansion franchise in its inaugural season.
Marsh is well regarded throughout the WNBA as a player development coach. The Aces credited him with building the foundation of Jackie Young’s growth — primarily her 3-point shooting — to earn the Most Improved Player award in 2022. His background will be crucial as the Sky work to develop young talent such as Kamilla Cardoso, Angel Reese and the two first-round rookies expected to join next year’s roster following the 2025 draft.
Throughout the last two offseasons, Marsh has consistently landed at the top of short lists for potential WNBA coaching hires, a reflection of the eagerness surrounding his potential. But it is another slight gamble by the Sky, who fired Weatherspoon in part due to a lack of coaching experience that led to a lack of structure on and off the court.
General manager Jeff Pagliocca highlighted structure and discipline as two keys in the Sky’s coaching search. As a first-year head coach who has never been a lead assistant, Marsh will be relatively inexperienced as he attempts to instill that identity with the Sky.
This hire reflects a clear belief from Pagliocca that Marsh is better positioned to learn quickly in that role — and more closely aligned with his vision for the roster, which was greatly overhauled last season through draft picks and trades.
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