Caitlin Clark's Indiana Fever coach fired despite leading team to WNBA playoffs last season

The Indiana Fever person fired caput coach Christie Sides aft reaching nan playoffs successful Caitlin Clark's rookie season. 

Sides went 33-47 successful her 2 seasons pinch nan squad, including going 20-20 this season. The Fever made nan playoffs arsenic nan sixth seed and were swept successful nan first information by nan Connecticut Sun.

Indiana is nan sixth squad to make a coaching alteration this offseason, pinch Dallas, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Chicago and Washington besides making moves.

The Fever person a young halfway led by Clark and Aliyah Boston, but suffered from violative inconsistency astatine times successful 2024. 

'We are incredibly thankful to Coach Sides for embracing nan situation of starring america done an integral modulation play complete nan past 2 seasons, while besides positioning america good for early growth,' Fever president of hoops operations Kelly Krauskopf said.

'While decisions for illustration these are ne'er easy, it is besides imperative that we stay bold and assertive successful nan pursuit of our goals, which includes maximizing our talent and bringing different WNBA title backmost to Indiana. 

'Coach Sides was an unthinkable typical of nan Fever and our community, and we wish her thing but occurrence successful nan future.'

Krauskopf came backmost to nan Fever earlier this period aft spending clip pinch Indiana Pacers.

Sides is hardly nan first hoops coach to beryllium fired aft a little stint moving pinch nan league's astir precious young talent.

Kevin Loughery, Michael Jordan's first coach pinch nan Chicago Bulls, lasted only 2 seasons pinch His Airness.

Larry Bird won an NBA title pinch his first coach, Bill Fitch, who was nevertheless fired by nan Boston Celtics aft 2 years pinch nan legendary mini forward.

Similarly, Ervin 'Magic' Johnson played for Jack McKinney and Paul Westhead en way to his first NBA title arsenic a rookie, only to person Westhead replaced pinch Pat Riley successful his 3rd play pinch Los Angeles.

Matt Guokas lasted only 1 play pinch Shaquille O'Neal successful Orlando, while Del Harris was replaced successful Lakerland aft a small much than 2 years pinch Kobe Bryant. 

A Louisiana native, nan 47-year-old Sides antecedently served arsenic an adjunct pinch nan Atlanta Dream and Chicago Scow, successful summation to stints astatine nan collegiate level.