The Indiana Fever and head coach Christie Sides agreed to part ways, the team announced Oct. 28.
Fever president of basketball operations Kelly Krauskopf expressed her gratitude for Sides’ contributions.
“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,” Krauskopf said in a statement. “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.”
Sides notched a 33-47 record in regular season play. Last season, she helped lead the Fever to their first playoff appearance since 2016.
Additionally, Sides aided in the development of back-to-back WNBA Rookies of the Year with forward Aliyah Boston and guard Caitlin Clark. She became the first coach in franchise history to be named WNBA Coach of the Month in August.
The Fever has not named anyone as the interim head coach at this time. Some fans believe that Stephanie White could return to the organization. Others think that Cheryl Miller or Lisa Bluder, who coached Clark at Iowa University, could be candidates for the position.
“Coach Sides was an incredible representative of the Fever and our community, and we wish her nothing but success in the future,” Krauskopf said.
Contact multi-media & senior sports reporter Noral Parham III at 317-762-7846 or via email at noralp@indyrecorder.com. Follow him on X @3Noral.
Noral Parham is the multi-media & senior sports reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder, one of the oldest Black publications in the country. Parham has worked with various leagues to provide a diverse perspective in sports, including the Big Ten, Big East, IHSAA, IndyCar, MLB, NHRA, NFL, NBA, WNBA, WWE and the Olympics. Prior to joining the Recorder, Parham served as the community advocate of the MLK Center in Indianapolis and senior copywriter for an e-commerce and marketing firm in Denver.
