Chicago’s coaching staff is almost brand new as they head into the upcoming WNBA season. Back in November, the Sky announced hiring head coach Tyler Marsh, followed shortly by the addition of Courtney Paris as an assistant. And now, the franchise has brought in another key name for their bench-Tanisha Wright. And while you’d think fans would be buzzing with excitement, the mood isn’t as cheerful as you might expect.

Wright, the former head coach of the Atlanta Dream, is the latest addition to Marsh’s staff. Her hiring marks her return to the sidelines after parting ways with the Dream in early October. The Dream, despite making the playoffs in 2024, had their third straight losing season under Wright’s leadership. 

The split wasn’t entirely shocking, though, as Dream GM Dan Padover cited the need for a “new chapter” to push the organization to greater heights. “Tanisha was an important contributor in our efforts to rebuild the Dream,” he said in his parting statement. “At this time, we believe a change is needed.” 

But you know, before starting her journey as a coach, Wright’s 14-year playing career in the WNBA was nothing short of stellar. A Seattle Storm legend, she was an absolute menace on defense, racking up five All-Defensive First Team and two Second Team selections. 

Undoubtedly, it’s going to come in handy when working with Chicago’s young stars like Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso. These two first-round draft picks are the future of the Sky, and Wright’s player development skills could be just what they need to shine.

Coach Marsh is clearly thrilled about the hire, and he didn’t hold back on the praise. “Tanisha has built an outstanding résumé as a player and coach in the WNBA,” Marsh said in the team’s press release. “With a long history of accomplishment and player development, she will help us to build a winning culture at the Sky.” But while the head coach seems all smiles, fans aren’t exactly popping the champagne.

Fans slam Sky’s shocking new addition to Tyler Marsh’s squad

“Terrible hire!” That’s how one person summed it up. But we can’t deny that Wright was an amazing player back in her day. She’s got the skills to help both guards and bigs on the Sky roster. However, as a leader, she does have a reputation for being tough. Some might say too tough. Remember when she made those stern remarks about her Atlanta Dream squad’s poor performance after a loss to the Dallas Wings in July? 

That’s the kind of approach that rubs some people the wrong way. “That front office just be doing sh-t 😭😭.” A lot of fans feel that way. Sky’s front office has been under fire lately in their decision-making. Sure, they’ve got young stars, but fans are worried that without the right coaching, their development could stall. 

Moreover, previously, the firing of head coach Teresa Weatherspoon left a bad taste in a lot of mouths. Many believe she deserved more time to turn things around. “i’m crying 😭. Everyone is so speechless,” said another. Fans are so upset they don’t even want to bash the hire outright. It’s more like a collective sigh of disbelief.

“Opened twitter to Tanisha Wright being the Sky’s assistant coach,” a fourth wrote. Twitter is definitely buzzing about this one. The timeline is packed with hot takes, ranging from support to outright frustration over her past coaching record. It’s a full-blown debate. Then there’s one who opined, “Out of all the ppl Tanisha fu-g Wright 😒.”

Many fans feel like there were better options out there. Take Pokey Chatman, for instance. She’s currently an assistant coach for the Seattle Storm and was even rumored to be in the mix before Tyler Marsh got the head coaching gig. Her experience and ties to Chicago might’ve made her a stronger choice in the eyes of some fans.

Now, with all this good and bad buzz, Tanisha Wright has a lot to prove. The pressure’s on to show that this wasn’t just another head-scratching front-office move. Who knows? Maybe she’ll silence all the critics and lead the Sky to something great. Only time will tell.