‘A dream come true’: WNBA legend and Hall of Famer Teresa Weatherspoon is hired as coach of the Chicago Sky

It’s official: Teresa Weatherspoon is the new coach of the Chicago Sky.

The team announced the hiring of the WNBA legend Thursday afternoon, two days after the Tribune reported that the move was being finalized.

“A WNBA legend and five-time All-Star, Olympian, and college national champion, Teresa brings a wealth of NBA and college coaching experience to the Sky,” co-owner and operating chairman Nadia Rawlinson said in a statement. “Her standard of excellence and history of winning at all levels, coaching expertise, knowledge of the game, passion, energy, and skill in player development make Teresa the perfect choice to build on our championship culture and usher in an exciting new era.”

Weatherspoon’s addition marks a turning point for the Sky after a tumultuous season that included the sudden midseason exit of former coach and general manager James Wade. Despite an early exit from the playoffs and finishing with an 18-22 record, the Sky managed to re-sign All-Star Kahleah Copper to a two-year deal.

The Sky now will enter the offseason with a clear foundation for roster building — and with a Hall of Famer at the helm.

This is Weatherspoon’s first coaching job in the WNBA. Yet her stature throughout the league — and women’s basketball as a whole — had made her a favorite for any coaching opening in recent years.

“I’m excited to be a part of the Chicago Sky Family,” Weatherspoon said in the statement. “To be the leader ... of an organization in a city with so much history and culture is a dream come true. The things that we are about to do as a team, a business and in the community will be rooted in excitement, excellence and hard work. ... I can’t wait to get to work!”

The Sky will introduce Weatherspoon at a news conference at 11 a.m. Oct. 24.

Inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019, Weatherspoon, 57, brings nearly three decades of playing and coaching experience to Chicago.

She led Louisiana Tech to the 1988 NCAA championship and won an Olympic gold medal that year before setting out on a lengthy and successful professional career. She was a founding WNBA player in 1997, made five All-Star teams and twice won Defensive Player of the Year.

After retiring in 2004, Weatherspoon returned to her alma mater and coached the Lady Techsters to two NCAA Tournament appearances from 2008-14, ending her run with a 99-71 record. She most recently served as an assistant for the NBA’s New Orleans Pelicans from 2020-23, earning respect from players and coaches for her skill in player development.

The Phoenix Mercury originally pursued Weatherspoon as their top coaching candidate during the 2021-22 offseason, but she removed herself from consideration after receiving a new offer from the Pelicans — only to be released in June 2023, a decision that elicited widespread criticism from Pelicans and WNBA fans.

Retired NBA star Dwyane Wade, who joined the Sky’s ownership group this summer, wrote on social media Thursday: “We got our coach! Welcome to your Chicago Sky family @Finisher_11″

The Sky still have an absence to fill: the general manager position.

Before Wade’s departure, the Sky were the only WNBA team with a dual coach/GM position, a status players criticized in the latter half of this season. The team confirmed the position would be split at the conclusion of the regular season.

With a coach in place, the Sky will search for a GM to partner with Weatherspoon as they look to regain their footing as a championship contender.

Tribune reporter Shakeia Taylor contributed.