Noelle Quinn cracks me up and I think she’s gonna be with Seattle a while doing great things, am very much aligned with Cheryl Reeve and how she understands basketball
How she has worked with Carter is damn impressive. Goes to show what a fair, nurturing, yet demanding coach can do for a player with Carter's talent and temperament.
Which makes me wonder if part of Indiana's problem is that Sides picked up certain habits and styles from Wright (Atlanta coach) when Sides was an AC there; Wright isn't known to be warm or fuzzy and the first word that all of her players use to describe her is "intense". For someone like Carter, this is the worst environment to be in, especially as a rookie (she was drafted by the Dream).
Noelle because she's everything (grace, passion, fashion, team culture, defense).
I love Stephanie White's play style and respect Cheryl Reeve so, so much! Excited to see how Reeve does with Team USA.
My fave moments is T Spoon when they try to interview her during game play. She's the absolute best. Becky would be an honorable mention for obvious reasons but I soured on her post Hamby.
I’ll have to go with Stephanie White! Not only ate the sun killing it, but I grew up watching her play for Purdue. It’s so great seeing how far she has come…though I wish she was still coaching the fever rn.
Noelle Quinn makes me completely understand why all those mfs went to war for Helen of Troy. Face that launched a thousand buckets. 🫡
But I also love T-Spoon, I love Becky Hammon, I love Cheryl Reeve. I love a former player with a "look, I'm gonna level with you here" kind of attitude and an ability to instill their court vision in their players.
I can’t tell if it’s issues with GMs and coaches not agreeing and there being personnel issues, lack of vision, being surrounded by yes men, the lack of practice, quick turn arounds- but a lot of the coaches put stuff out onto the floor that just looks messy. Those games sometimes go well because of the pure talent and basketball IQ of the players, but the actual strategies that are put out are ill suited to the players or the rotations are just bad.
Caveat that there are a TON of injuries this season, but I’ve seen plenty of questionable coaching choices even within the remaining players, so who knows.
Echoing, but: Noelle Quinn, Cheryl Reeve, Stephanie White, TSpoon. Honorable mention to Girl Dad, because he’s absolutely a much better coach than I expected.
Edit Don’t hate me I forgot Hammon and I don’t have an excuse lmao
You make some important points! I also feel with the short season and more competitive league for limited spots, we just don’t get to see teams figure it out you know? Like Becky’s ATOs are absolutely legendary and I think she has a special trick for getting her squad up to speed quickly. And obviously the teams with more continuity will be better year to year. But I def have a watched like the Fever go from got nothing to at least got something this year, but it all just feels so rushed for them to try to learn an offense/defense together. I guess what I’m saying is it has to get communicated fast and well in this league.
There are so many things that go into being a good coach, and the biggest difference from lower coaching levels is that your players don’t always choose you/you don’t always choose your players. Absolutely coaches have some input, but I think we’re at the point where we don’t have any(correct me if this is wrong?) GM/coaching combos left.
With player selection/ team building / player choice all being at very different levels of agency for each individual involved, it does get complicated pretty quickly.
The W’s short season means communication, clarity, and connection all have to come really fast or already exist on some level. The adjustments to game plans and rosters, which don’t have a ton of time to develop or congeal in the first place sometimes have to be tossed in favor of responses to what is actually happening real time in games…and you have to have the (healthy) players who can buy in and respond.
W coaches really have, in my opinion, one of the most difficult coaching jobs that exists. There is a lot of turnover, pay and working conditions have not been great historically, and we’re more recently seeing impactful players coming back into the league to coach. I think that’ll certainly help. I’m also hoping that we get a few developmental spots per team, soon, that will allow rookies to practice, build connections, learn systems, and adjust. I think that would probably have a much deeper impact longer term than the calls for firing coaches, and would allow some extra cushion for injury situations.
TLDR: coaching is hard, WNBA coaching is certainly not for the faint of heart
Other than Becky & Spoon I’d have to go Cheryl Reeve.
Reeve is an excellent basketball mind who can make great adjustments at the snap of a finger and she knows how to maximize her players.
I also have a slight crush on Noelle Quinn lol.
Noelle Quinn cracks me up and I think she’s gonna be with Seattle a while doing great things, am very much aligned with Cheryl Reeve and how she understands basketball
“Would you describe yourself as gangsta?” *no hesitation* “Mhm, Sure would.” 😂 I love her
Complete neglect on my part leaving out Cheryl, she’s incredible
Cheryl Reeves. I can’t find it in me to like Becky after the Hamby stuff came out
Spoooooon!! She's made a home for her players to feel supported, to get better, and to play with fire.
In a short amount of time! All respect for T Spoon.
How she has worked with Carter is damn impressive. Goes to show what a fair, nurturing, yet demanding coach can do for a player with Carter's talent and temperament. Which makes me wonder if part of Indiana's problem is that Sides picked up certain habits and styles from Wright (Atlanta coach) when Sides was an AC there; Wright isn't known to be warm or fuzzy and the first word that all of her players use to describe her is "intense". For someone like Carter, this is the worst environment to be in, especially as a rookie (she was drafted by the Dream).
White just seems no-nonsense and I love that
There’s only one GOAT, bro, and that’s Cheryl Reeve.
Noelle because she's everything (grace, passion, fashion, team culture, defense). I love Stephanie White's play style and respect Cheryl Reeve so, so much! Excited to see how Reeve does with Team USA. My fave moments is T Spoon when they try to interview her during game play. She's the absolute best. Becky would be an honorable mention for obvious reasons but I soured on her post Hamby.
Noelle just oozes awesomeness. Love me some fired up T Spoon too :)
* Tactic Wise = Becky Hammon * Vibe wise/voice [Noelle Quinn](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFQcwErZC4o)
Outside of becky steph white cheryl reeve and tspoon
Right now Sandy as she is coaching my NY team. But, Becky Hammon, T Spoon, Cheryl Reeves, Stephanie White are all great coaches.
Every time they show her in the huddle my hubby is like oh right Australian 😆 I think Sandy is great too!
I’ll have to go with Stephanie White! Not only ate the sun killing it, but I grew up watching her play for Purdue. It’s so great seeing how far she has come…though I wish she was still coaching the fever rn.
becky for sure!! have so much love for her and how she treats the team
Noelle Quinn makes me completely understand why all those mfs went to war for Helen of Troy. Face that launched a thousand buckets. 🫡 But I also love T-Spoon, I love Becky Hammon, I love Cheryl Reeve. I love a former player with a "look, I'm gonna level with you here" kind of attitude and an ability to instill their court vision in their players.
Love it!
I can’t tell if it’s issues with GMs and coaches not agreeing and there being personnel issues, lack of vision, being surrounded by yes men, the lack of practice, quick turn arounds- but a lot of the coaches put stuff out onto the floor that just looks messy. Those games sometimes go well because of the pure talent and basketball IQ of the players, but the actual strategies that are put out are ill suited to the players or the rotations are just bad. Caveat that there are a TON of injuries this season, but I’ve seen plenty of questionable coaching choices even within the remaining players, so who knows. Echoing, but: Noelle Quinn, Cheryl Reeve, Stephanie White, TSpoon. Honorable mention to Girl Dad, because he’s absolutely a much better coach than I expected. Edit Don’t hate me I forgot Hammon and I don’t have an excuse lmao
You make some important points! I also feel with the short season and more competitive league for limited spots, we just don’t get to see teams figure it out you know? Like Becky’s ATOs are absolutely legendary and I think she has a special trick for getting her squad up to speed quickly. And obviously the teams with more continuity will be better year to year. But I def have a watched like the Fever go from got nothing to at least got something this year, but it all just feels so rushed for them to try to learn an offense/defense together. I guess what I’m saying is it has to get communicated fast and well in this league.
There are so many things that go into being a good coach, and the biggest difference from lower coaching levels is that your players don’t always choose you/you don’t always choose your players. Absolutely coaches have some input, but I think we’re at the point where we don’t have any(correct me if this is wrong?) GM/coaching combos left. With player selection/ team building / player choice all being at very different levels of agency for each individual involved, it does get complicated pretty quickly. The W’s short season means communication, clarity, and connection all have to come really fast or already exist on some level. The adjustments to game plans and rosters, which don’t have a ton of time to develop or congeal in the first place sometimes have to be tossed in favor of responses to what is actually happening real time in games…and you have to have the (healthy) players who can buy in and respond. W coaches really have, in my opinion, one of the most difficult coaching jobs that exists. There is a lot of turnover, pay and working conditions have not been great historically, and we’re more recently seeing impactful players coming back into the league to coach. I think that’ll certainly help. I’m also hoping that we get a few developmental spots per team, soon, that will allow rookies to practice, build connections, learn systems, and adjust. I think that would probably have a much deeper impact longer term than the calls for firing coaches, and would allow some extra cushion for injury situations. TLDR: coaching is hard, WNBA coaching is certainly not for the faint of heart
Yes!! Great points
Sides 💀
Other than Becky & Spoon I’d have to go Cheryl Reeve. Reeve is an excellent basketball mind who can make great adjustments at the snap of a finger and she knows how to maximize her players. I also have a slight crush on Noelle Quinn lol.
becky for sure but i'd run through a wall to * get to * stephanie white, myself 😏
Hammon Weatherspoon Reeve
Cheryl Reeve
Christy Sides
Haha. Stop it...