In a surprising turn of events, WNBA mainstays Indiana Fever have decided to sever their ties with head coach Christie Sides. The seasoned tactician only joined forces with Indiana Fever in November 2022, racking up a record of 33-47 since her arrival. However, the one-time WNBA champions have now opted to cut her four-year contract short and part ways with Sides after just two seasons. But, why did the Indiana Fever fire her?
Here are all the available details regarding head coach Christie Sides’ recent ousting from Indiana Fever.
Here’s why Christie Sides was fired from Indiana Fever
The Fever announced on Sunday, October 27, that they’d be bidding Sides adieu after two seasons at the helm. According to President of Basketball Operations Kelly Krauskopf, the decision was taken in a bid to overhaul things at the club.
Reflecting on coach Christie Sides’ dismissal, Krauskopf thanked her for her services before further explaining her firing. “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,” he said. (via CNN Sports)
“While decisions like these are never easy, it is also imperative that we remain bold and assertive in the pursuit of our goals,” he added. “[It] includes maximizing our talent and bringing another WNBA championship back to Indiana,” Krauskopf further stated.
In her two seasons as the Fever coach, Christie Sides maintained a regular league record of 33-47. Moreover, she was heavily responsible for guiding Indiana to their first postseason appearance since 2016. Despite her efforts, Sides’ team ultimately bowed out in the first playoff round of 2024 after losing to the Connecticut Sun.
As such, Christie Sides joins the long line of Indiana coaches to lose their jobs before their contract’s expiration. Ever since Lin Dunn’s tenure at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse ended in 2014, no coach has held their post at the Fever for more than three seasons.
Indiana are actively looking for a worthy replacement for Sides. So far, Sun’s Stephanie White has emerged as the frontrunner to occupy the vacated position. However, an official update regarding the new coach has yet to come out from the Fever’s camp.
