Chicago Sky name Jeff Pagliocca as their general manager to partner with new coach Teresa Weatherspoon

The Chicago Sky filled an important opening in their front office Tuesday with the announcement of Jeff Pagliocca as the team’s new general manager.

Pagliocca will be the first person to serve as only the GM for the Sky, who were the last WNBA team to break away from the dual head coach/GM position. He will join new coach Teresa Weatherspoon to begin a new era for the Sky in 2024.

[ [Don't miss] Column: Teresa Weatherspoon is here to ‘stir things up’ for the Chicago Sky, but the GM will be key to the recipe ]

“We are delighted to welcome Jeff Pagliocca as the Chicago Sky’s new general manager to identify and build the roster that will be a model for sustained success,” Sky President and CEO Adam Fox said in a statement. “Jeff’s expertise in player development and data-driven talent evaluation, sophisticated basketball IQ and his incredible relationships with players make him the perfect choice to complement coach Weatherspoon as we strive for another championship in Chicago.”

Pagliocca is a familiar face around the Sky after serving the last four seasons as a player development coach and adviser to former coach/GM James Wade. He was the team’s director of skill development in 2023 and previously developed strong relationships with former and current stars such as Allie Quigley, Courtney Vandersloot and Kahleah Copper, whom he also trained in the offseason.

Copper often has praised Pagliocca on social media, writing, “thank God for @JeffPagliocca” in a post in July shortly after Wade left the team for an assistant coaching job with the NBA’s Toronto Raptors.

A Long Grove native, Pagliocca built his company, Evolution Athletics in Deerfield, where the Sky also train. He brings a mix of on- and off-court analytical ability to the GM position with experience in hands-on player development and talent scouting utilizing analytics.

Between her passionate presence and stature in the WNBA, it’s clear that Weatherspoon will define the Sky’s culture in this new era. Pagliocca will be key to translating that vision through talent acquisition and development, which will be particularly important as the league prepares for the blockbuster 2024 and 2025 draft classes.

With both positions filled, the Sky are now prepared for WNBA free agency to begin Jan. 11, when teams can start sending out qualifying offers to unsigned players.