Indiana Fever fire head coach, becoming 6th WNBA team to make a change

The Indiana Fever fired coach Christie Sides connected Sunday, nan statement announced.

Sides went 33-47 successful her 2 seasons pinch nan squad, including going 20-20 this season. The Fever made nan playoffs arsenic nan sixth seed and were swept successful nan first information by nan Connecticut Sun.

Indiana is nan sixth squad to make a coaching alteration this offseason, joining Dallas, Atlanta, Chicago, Washington and Los Angeles. All of nan coaches fto spell had 3 years aliases little experience.

Indiana Fever caput coach Christie Sides reacts during Game 2 of a first-round WNBA hoops playoff bid against nan Connecticut Sun, Sept. 25, 2024, successful Uncasville, Conn. Jessica Hill / AP

Whoever takes complete nan Fever will person a beardown young halfway to activity with, led by Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston. The brace person won nan past 2 WNBA Rookie of nan Year awards.

"We are incredibly thankful to Coach Sides for embracing nan situation of starring america done an integral modulation play complete nan past 2 seasons, while besides positioning america good for early growth," Fever president of hoops operations Kelly Krauskopf said.

"While decisions for illustration these are ne'er easy, it is besides imperative that we stay bold and assertive successful nan pursuit of our goals, which includes maximizing our talent and bringing different WNBA title backmost to Indiana. Coach Sides was an unthinkable typical of nan Fever and our community, and we wish her thing but occurrence successful nan future."

Krauskopf came backmost to nan Fever earlier this period aft spending clip pinch nan Indiana Pacers.

Indiana Fever defender Caitlin Clark (22) is greeted by coach Christie Sides aft a foul during nan first half of nan team's WNBA hoops crippled against nan Los Angeles Sparks successful Los Angeles, Friday, May 24, 2024. Ashley Landis / AP

Sides was a longtime adjunct successful nan league, spending clip pinch Chicago (2011-16), nan Fever (2017-19) and Atlanta (2022) earlier getting nan caput coaching job. She replaced Marianne Stanley and her interim successor, Carlos Knox, who coached successful nan 2022 season.

Sides had 2 years near connected her contract.

The Fever haven't had a caput coach past for much than 3 years since Lin Dunn, who coached from 2008-14. Since then, they've had Stephanie White (2015-16), Pokey Chatman (2017-19) and Stanley (2020-22).

Indiana had a sadistic schedule to commencement nan play and mislaid 8 of their first 9 games. The Fever yet sewage going aft nan Olympic break, winning 7 of 8 to get into playoff contention.

In:
• WNBA
• Indiana
• Caitlin Clark