In the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), female empowerment will always remain the core value that the league stands on. The ability for the league to continue its positive depictions of women in varying typically male roles reinforces the capabilities of women. The WNBA should refrain from hiring men moving forward because of the lack of results and success from their predecessors and the unique skillsets women contribute.
During the 2024 season, the Chicago Sky hired former WNBA player Teresa Weatherspoon as the head coach. The Sky concluded the season with an overall 13-27 record, and the Sky later fired Wetherspoon after only a single season as head coach. Chicago later announced Tyler Marsh as Weatherspoon’s replacement for the 2025 season. Marsh, a former assistant coach with the Las Vegas Aces, entered with a knack for developing talent, a “perfect fit” for the Sky’s young core. Ultimately, the Sky suffered a decline in results from their 2024 showing. The Sky tied for the least successful record in the league at 10-34. Additionally, All-Star forward Angel Reese(5) expressed her disdain for the current situation in Chicago.
“I think there should be way more women as coaches. The WNBA has a few female coaches, which shows sexism and gender bias, and it makes it harder for young girls who look up to seeing women in sports and leadership. Having more women coaches gives more equality in the league,” sophomore Mehreen Karmali said.
Unfortunately, the bias toward male coaches recurs. In Dallas, Texas, the Wings looked to build momentum from their above .500 season and semifinals appearance. The roster, filled with the talent of dynamic guard Arike Ogunbowale (24) and forward Satu Sabally (0) contained a season of promise. Wings head coach Latrica Trammell led the team with passion and fire and led the Wings to their only playoff win. The following season quickly collapsed, once again due to unfortunate injuries to crucial players. The Wings’ promising team failed to recapture the success of the prior season, and after only two seasons with the team, the Wings fired Trammell. The termination aligns with the narrative that female coaches do not receive the same opportunities to succeed.
In turn, the first selection in the 2025 draft, guard Paige Bueckers (5), provided all the skillsets the Wings desperately needed on the roster. Instead of Bueckers playing under a coach with an adequate knack for the game, she played under a new coach, Kris Koclanes. The Wings tied with the Sky for the bottom record in the league, and Koclanes parted ways with Dallas after the disastrous season. Not only did the Wings barely win games, but the team also showed limited enthusiasm for Koclanes’ subpar coaching compared to the likes of a qualified woman. Granted, his leadership generally fails to align with the women in the league.
The contribution of male coaches throughout the league’s history serves as an important piece of the WNBA’s foundation. Those men produced incredible teams and, in turn, received unparalleled success, adding to the narrative that males generate positive results. Despite the overall statistics of male head coaches, the numbers fail to fall in their favor in recent years. Male coaches total 46% of the league. The last four WNBA champions boosted women into their rightful position with head coaches Becky Hammon and Sandy Brondello. Women, especially those who played in the league, provide nuanced and valuable contributions to a team that male coaches simply fail to provide.
“It’s the WNBA, so it should be centered around women, and seeing as we don’t see many women in coaching, the WNBA should take their opportunity to shine and be great at what they do. I’d love to [see] a WNBA season with just female head coaches. Women make the league special and are important to the teams,” magnet sophomore Ara Momoh said.
The clear pattern of female coaches’ termination after a singular season of subpar results, occasionally due to unavoidable situations, needs to end. The replacement of these women with men who produce similar, or in these cases, tanking results, proves the capability of women in the coaching space. Critics attribute the results to these men not staying in tune with the WNBA and the nuance in the league. The opportunities for female head coaches come once in a blue moon, in contrast to their male counterparts, only for these men to produce a mediocre product on the court.
