What Wright’s firing means for Dream, WNBA coaching landscape

The Atlanta Dream fired Tanisha Wright on Wednesday, marking the third WNBA team to part ways with its head coach since the regular season ended Sept. 19.

Wright went 48-68 in three seasons, with two playoff appearances. The Dream, whose last winning record came in 2018, were swept out of the postseason both times. Still, Atlanta hadn’t made back-to-back playoff appearances since 2013-2014. Yet it wasn’t enough to save Wright’s job.

Atlanta was 15-25 this year despite several injuries, including leading scorer and Olympian Rhyne Howard missing 10 games.

Wright is the second former WNBA player to be fired as coach in the past week; Teresa Weatherspoon was let go Sept. 26 after just one season with the Chicago Sky.

On Sept. 24, veteran coach Curt Miller parted with the Los Angeles Sparks after just two seasons.

So three jobs are open, as is the head-coaching position for the expansion Golden State Valkyries. The 2026 expansion teams in Toronto and Portland will also need to hire coaches.

We take a look at Wright’s departure, the coaching landscape in the WNBA and debate whether we might see more head-coaching openings this year.

Was Wright’s firing a surprise?

Less so than Miller and especially Weatherspoon. Wright had three seasons, and while that’s still not a lot of time in a hypercompetitive league, it might be industry standard when it comes to professional sports these days.

The WNBA has never been in a bigger spotlight than it is now. The pressure to win is greater than ever, as is the concern about falling too far behind the top franchises. Perhaps in the past, these three coaches would have been given more time.

Injuries are one of the toughest things about coaching in any sport. Wright, Miller and Weatherspoon all dealt with injuries this year that — had they not occurred — could have changed their seasons.

Then again, injuries are always a given, and coaches have to deal with them.

Atlanta is on its fourth ownership group since the franchise started in 2008. Dream general manager Dan Padover and Wright came to the Dream in October 2021 from the Las Vegas Aces. Howard was the No. 1 draft pick for the Dream in 2022, and Atlanta traded for Allisha Gray in 2023.

Atlanta had two first-round draft picks in 2023: Haley Jones (No. 6) and Laeticia Amihere (No. 8). Earlier this year, the Dream brought in Tina Charles and Aerial Powers as free agents and traded for Jordin Canada.

Between them, Howard, Canada and Powers were out for 53 games because of injuries. Atlanta went through some rough stretches, winning just twice in 15 games between June 11 and July 17. After the Olympic break, the Dream were 8-8, which got them into the playoffs. But that wasn’t enough for Wright to keep her job. — Voepel

Over the course of 3 years this has been an incredible experience for me.

I want to thank every player I’ve had the pleasure of coaching. You all fought hard to lay some incredible ground work, fought hard for the organization and fought hard for our culture…for that I am

— Coach Tanisha Wright (@coachtwright_) October 2, 2024

What are the Sparks, Sky and Dream looking for in a new coach?

Here’s something these teams all have in common: lottery picks who are early in their careers. Howard, who won a bronze medal in 3×3 women’s basketball in the Paris Olympics, has averaged 17 points per game in her three seasons and is just 24.

The Sparks had No. 2 pick Cameron Brink and No. 4 Rickea Jackson as rookies this season. Brink played just 15 games before being lost for the year to a knee injury in June. Jackson played all 40 games, averaging 13.4 points.

The Sky’s No. 3 pick, Kamilla Cardoso, and No. 7 selection, Angel Reese, combined for just over 23 points and 21 rebounds per game. Reese missed the last six games of the season because of a wrist injury, but this looks like it could be a strong duo for years to come.

The WNBA doesn’t allow much structured development time for players; the schedule is too compacted. It’s critical that players work on their games a lot in the offseason, and the new coaching staffs for all these teams have to form strong bonds with the young players to guide them in that process, too.

But it seemed as if Wright, Weatherspoon and Miller all had good connections with their young stars. It’s always hard to know what might be going on behind the scenes of any team. But whomever these teams hire as coaching replacements might have to mend some fences between players and management. — Voepel

We have made the difficult decision to part ways with head coach Tanisha Wright. pic.twitter.com/BkEkdrvWIR

— Atlanta Dream (@AtlantaDream) October 2, 2024

What other WNBA coaching jobs might come open before the 2025 season?

Latricia Trammell took the Dallas Wings to the semifinals last season, but they had the second-worst record in the WNBA this year. Both of Trammell’s predecessors — Vickie Johnson and Brian Agler — got just two years with the Wings. For now, Trammell remains in place.

It’s the same for Noelle Quinn. After the Seattle Storm were swept in the first round of the playoffs by Las Vegas, Quinn suggested she was on “borrowed time” and all the players had to have more consistent effort.

Seattle had a big turnaround this season, going from 11-29 last season to 25-15 — the Storm’s most victories since going 26-8 in 2018, when Seattle won the league title. That doesn’t seem like a reason to fire the coach. Still, signing high-profile free agents, such as Nneka Ogwumike and Skylar Diggins-Smith, but not winning a playoff game could be what pushes Quinn out after four seasons.

That said, with four jobs open — Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles and Golden State — coaches who are fired now might be hired again in the not-distant future. — Voepel

Which of the four WNBA coaching jobs is most attractive?

Of these four teams, the Dream have the best chance of being competitive next season. Not only did they make the playoffs this year, Atlanta was the fifth seed in 2023 and should have Canada and Howard back healthy after they missed a combined 30 games this season.

With Canada, Howard and Gray, an All-Star, on the court together, the Dream outscored opponents by 11 points per 100 possessions, according to WNBA Advanced Stats. All three are under contract for 2025, and Atlanta has the cap space to rebuild the frontcourt and bench around them.

For Chicago and Los Angeles, the answer will depend on the results of the draft lottery. If the Sparks land the No. 1 pick, likely UConn guard Paige Bueckers, it would supercharge their rebuilding process. Because of a swap with the Dallas Wings, the Sky can’t pick No. 1, but they could add the second pick to promising rookies Cardoso and Reese.

Still, if the goal is winning a championship, I’d cast my lot with the expansion Valkyries. Next season might be a slog for Golden State, which is unlikely to add much top talent in the Dec. 6 expansion draft. By 2026, however, the Valkyries should be well positioned to compete in a more star-studded free agency class than we’ve ever seen before thanks to an expected jump in the salary cap under a potential new collective bargaining agreement.

With the resources of the Warriors, Golden State will enter the league as one of the WNBA’s best-supported franchises. Add in an attractive market and fans who have already put down 18,000 ticket deposits, and the Valkyries have the chance to join the Aces, New York Liberty and Storm as a premier destination for free agents. — Pelton