CHICAGO – The Chicago Sky needed to make a move that would resonate.
After firing Teresa Weatherspoon after one season, the franchise needed to put leadership in place that would convince fans, returning players and potential free agents that Chicago was a place that can win.
Sky general manager Jeff Pagliocca, introducing his head coaching pick on Tuesday, called his
“We promised our fans that we were going to be extremely intentional and diligent in our coaching search,” Pagliocca said. “I heard you. I felt you. We delivered.”
The Sky introduced Tyler Marsh as the team’s head coach on Tuesday after announcing his hire nearly two weeks ago. He brings a wealth of experience from all levels of basketball.
He was most recently a part of the player development system as an assistant coach with the Las Vegas Aces, where he helped Vegas win two WNBA championships in a row. His resume also includes an NBA title with the Raptors, and years of experience working with championship-winning coaches.
Marsh said on Tuesday the Sky weren’t the only team he was interviewing with. However, when he met with the Sky it didn’t take long to convince him.
“If you know Jeff, he comes in hot,” Marsh said.
The interest was mutual, too.
“As soon as Tyler and I started talking, there was pretty immediate synergy,” Pagliocca said. “Got him into town and the rest is history.
Marsh would have had his pick of openings, too.
Atlanta, Connecticut, Dallas, Los Angeles and Washington, plus the two 2026 expansion franchises in Portland and Toronto, need head coaches after the Indiana Fever hired Stephanie White.
Throughout the process, Marsh didn’t shake the feeling about the Sky.
“This felt like the right place to be,” Marsh said. ‘I think Chicago is in a perfect position.”
The Sky, with their new practice facility on the way, their core of Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese, a talent core of returning supporting players and two first-round picks in the 2025 WNBA Draft. There are attractive factors to the Sky.
The biggest hurdle was providing security for whomever took over the head coaching position; the Sky are on their fourth head coach since July 2023, after all.
That was of no concern to Marsh.
“Everything kind of came together,” Marsh said.
Now, Marsh can work with Pagliocca to curate a team that fits the style of play he wants to put on the court.
When asked what his offseason priority is, Marsh simply said: “Shooters.”
He wants to coach a style of basketball that fits the modern-style of the game.
In Las Vegas, Marsh helped develop players like Jackie Young, A’Ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum, all Olympians that played great defense. They also added high-octane offensive skills, too.
The Sky, Marsh wanted to note, do not want to win games by a score of 60-50. His crystal ball does not forsee low-scoring defensive games in the franchise’s future.
“Those days are over with,” Marsh said. We want to score a lot.”
This falls into Marsh’s biggest goal of being a step or two ahead of a league that’s growing exponentially.
“For us, we want to set trends,” Marsh said. “We want to be ahead of the curve.”
The players see this, too.
Sky center Elizabeth Williams shared the podium with Pagliocca, Marsh and fellow teammate Rachel Banham. Williams, who missed most of the season with a knee injury which kept the Sky from utilizing bigger lineups, sees Marsh instilling more than just high-quality basketball in Chicago.
“He comes in with a lot of experience,” Williams said. “He also comes in with the mindset with creating a certain culture.”
Marsh has work to do. That work starts with the team Pagliocca can piece together in the offseason.
With that offensive and shooter-friendly playstyle in mind, Pagliocca can build the roster that is taking the next steps of its rebuild.
Whomever may be on the roster at the start of the 2025 season, Marsh will be ready to work with them.
“We want to set the tone,” Marsh said.
