In a surprising turn of events, the Indiana Fever has decided to part ways with professional coach Christie Sides following Caitlin Clark’s phenomenal breakout season. The decision has shocked many fans and pundits who praised Sides for her coaching abilities and the team’s progress.
Under Sides’ guidance, the Indiana Fever had shown signs of improvement throughout the season, with Caitlin Clark emerging as a rising star in the WNBA. The young guard dazzled fans and rival teams with her extraordinary skills, leading the league in scoring, assists, and three-point shooting.
However, despite the team’s progress and Clark’s exceptional performances, the Indiana Fever organization felt it was necessary to make a coaching change.
Sides on X reacted to her firing by tweeting, “Leave it better than you found it.”
Sides went 33-47 in her two seasons with the squad, including going 20-20 this season. The Fever made the playoffs as the sixth seed and were swept in the first round by the Connecticut Sun.
Indiana is the sixth team to make a coaching change this offseason, joining Dallas, Atlanta, Chicago, Washington and Los Angeles. All of the coaches let go had three years or less experience.
Whoever takes over the Fever will have a strong young core to work with, led by Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston. The pair have won the last two WNBA Rookie of the Year awards.
“We are incredibly thankful to Coach Sides for embracing the challenge of leading us through an integral transition period over the last two seasons, while also positioning us well for future growth,” Fever president of basketball operations Kelly Krauskopf said.
“While decisions like these are never easy, it is also imperative that we remain bold and assertive in the pursuit of our goals, which includes maximizing our talent and bringing another WNBA championship back to Indiana. Coach Sides was an incredible representative of the Fever and our community, and we wish her nothing but success in the future.”
Sides was a longtime assistant in the league, spending time with Chicago (2011-16), the Fever (2017-19) and Atlanta (2022) before getting the head coaching job. She replaced Marianne Stanley and her interim successor, Carlos Knox, who coached in the 2022 season.
Sides had two years left on her contract.
While the end of Sides’ tenure with the Indiana Fever marks a sudden and unexpected departure, the team remains optimistic about the future. Changes are on the horizon, and the organization is determined to find the right person to take the reins and guide them to new heights.
Flip to the next page for coach Christie Sides’ reaction to her firing…
