The Chicago Sky are running it back with their WNBA champion head coach.
The Sky and head coach/general manager James Wade agreed to a contract extension that will make him head coach through 2025, according to James Kay.
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“I’m very excited and pleased that the organization has entrusted me to lead this franchise and it’s very humbling to know that I get to coach this group of players and work in this great organization for an extended period of time,” Wade said in a statement. “I’m very honored and I feel very blessed.”
Wade won the WNBA's Coach of the Year and Executive of the Year awards in 2019 and 2022 respectively. He led the team to its first WNBA championship in 2021 after signing on Candace Parker in the league's biggest acquisition that year. Wade followed that by signing 2019 WNBA Finals MVP Emma Meesseman this past off-season, both played leading roles as the Sky compiled the second-best record in the league's regular season.
Since arriving in late 2018, Wade has a 74-50 record with the team with a linear transgression since his arrival. He has the highest winning percentage of any Chicago Sky coach in history.
Before Wade's arrival, the Sky had a losing record for two straight seasons. The last time the team had a winning record was in 2016.
WNBA
“We are thrilled and privileged to extend James’ contract with the Sky,” team owner Michael Alter said to the Chicago Sun-Times. “In a very short time, he has proven to be one of the best coaches and executives in the league.He has done an amazing job creating and leading the championship culture of the Sky, where players play hard and unselfishly for each other.We look forward to many more incredible championship seasons under his leadership.”
The Sky defeated the New York Liberty on Tuesday to advance to the semifinals of the WNBA playoffs. They will play the winner of the Connecticut Suns and the Dallas Wings in the second round.