The WNBA coaching carousel was set into motion by the Sparks’ firing of coach Curt Miller after two seasons. The Sky followed suit, parting ways with Teresa Weatherspoon after just 11 months. In the week since, the Dream have dismissed Tanisha Wright after three seasons.
By the time one of the four WNBA teams left competing for a title raise that championship trophy, there could be at least two more coaching vacancies. After a limited search last season that included two confirmed candidates, Weatherspoon and former Grizzlies assistant Sonia Raman, the Sky are taking a meticulous approach this time around. The issue for them is the level of interest the job they have to offer will garner.
Here is a list of candidates the Sky should be considering:
Curt Miller
Miller is the most experienced WNBA coaching candidate available at the moment. He spent a season as an assistant with the Sparks in 2015 before he was hired by the Sun. Miller led the Sun to the playoffs in all but one of his seven seasons at the helm. He was named Coach of the Year in 2017 and 2021 and Executive of the Year in 2017. In 2022 he led the Sun past the Sky after being ousted by them the year before.
Natalie Nakase
Nakase should have been a top target for every franchise looking for a coach last year. Before the 2025 season, there is a strong likelihood that she will be tapped for one of the WNBA vacancies.
Before joining the Aces’ staff in 2022, Nakase was an assistant under Tyronn Lue for the Clippers’ G-League affiliate. Her history with the Clippers’ organization dates to 2012 when she was an intern under Vinny Del Negro. Nakase’s name should be at the top of the Sparks’ list of candidates.
Tanisha Wright
While Wright is coming off three consecutive losing seasons in Atlanta, she has demonstrated her potential as a coach in the WNBA. The Dream, similar to the Sky, have been in a state of rebuild. In Chicago, Wright would be under the same kind of pressure which could be an indication that the Sky will go in a different direction.
Regardless, Wright is one of the most experienced coaching candidates available and that earns her serious consideration.
Stephanie White
White is still in the thick of a realistic run at the Sun’s first WNBA title. However, her future beyond this season could lead to a change of address. The Sun hired her in November 2022. In her inaugural season, she was named Coach of the Year after leading the Sun to a 27-13 record. White has a history in Chicago as an assistant from 2007-10. She should be at the top of the Sky’s list of candidates. Whether or not they can actually land her will hinge upon their commitment to being a top-tier franchise and her interest in leaving the Sun.
Jenny Boucek
Boucek went undrafted in the WNBA’s inaugural draft and subsequently earned a roster spot with the defunct Cleveland Rockers. She played one season before a back injury ended her playing career and thrust her into coaching. She has a lengthy history coaching in the WNBA including with the Mystics, the defunct Sacramento Monarchs and the Storm.
Boucek has been coaching in the NBA since 2017 — She has been on Rick Carlisle’s bench since 2018, following him from Dallas to Indiana, where she has been since 2021.
Lindsey Harding
The possibility of the Sky landing an interview with Harding, let alone hiring her, is more wishful thinking than anything. Lakers coach JJ Redick added Harding to his staff this summer after she spent four years with the Kings’ G-League affiliate, including being named head coach in 2023. She was named the NBA G-League Coach of the Year after leading them to the best record. She played nine seasons in the WNBA and retired in 2016. V