CHICAGO – The Chicago Sky fired coach Teresa Weatherspoon after just one season, according to reports that surfaced on Thursday.

The Chicago Sun-Times and Chicago Tribune, citing unnamed sources, reported that Weatherspoon had been let go by the team.

The AP reached out to the Sky for confirmation, but they did not immediately respond to the request.

Chicago ended the season with a 13-27 record, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2018, despite adding standout rookies Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso. The next coach will be the team’s fourth since their WNBA championship win in 2021.

Weatherspoon’s dismissal could have implications for the future of Reese, who, along with Indiana’s Caitlin Clark, helped boost ratings and attendance by bringing their college rivalry to the professional level.

Reese expressed her support for Weatherspoon on social media, calling the coach “an unsung hero” in her life.

Reese, who missed the end of the season due to a wrist injury, drew attention for setting multiple records, including averaging a league-record 13.1 rebounds and recording the most double-doubles by a rookie.

The Sky hired Naismith Hall of Famer Weatherspoon in mid-October 2023 to replace former coach James Wade, who left mid-season.

Just weeks after hiring Weatherspoon, the Sky promoted Jeff Pagliocca to general manager to help bring in Cardoso and Reese.

The team made strategic moves, including trading for draft picks that led to selecting Cardoso with the No. 3 pick and Reese with the seventh pick.

Weatherspoon, a former WNBA player and coach with the New Orleans Pelicans, had a successful playing career with the New York Liberty, earning multiple accolades.

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