The Indiana Fever have decided to part ways with head coach Christie Sides, the team announced Saturday. Sides had two years left on her contract with the Fever.
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"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," Fever President of Basketball Operations Kelly Krauskopf said.
"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. Coach Sides was an incredible representative of the Fever and our community, and we wish her nothing but success in the future."
Sides leaves Indiana after just two seasons with the organization. She helped lead the Fever to their first postseason appearance since 2016. In her short tenure, Sides tallied a 33-47 (.413) regular season record.
Sides was responsible for developing back-to-back WNBA Rookies of the Year in Aliyah Boston and Caitlin Clark.
She was also the first coach in franchise history to be named WNBA Coach of the Month when she earned the accolade in August.
Sides' departure comes as a surprise to many given the circumstances. Sides had just gotten another No. 1 pick added to her team in Caitlin Clark and the Fever were coming off the franchise's first playoff berth in almost a decade.
In 2024, the Fever ended with a 20-20 (.500) record. Indiana's red-hot season came to an end after the Connecticut Sweep swept the Fever in two games.
The first round exit was certainly disappointing for fans. The early postseason exit could've contributed to the organization's decision to let go of Sides. However, nothing has been confirmed.
The Fever hired Sides after the 2022 season as a replacement for Marianne Stanley.
Krauskopf was formerly an executive with the Indiana Pacers who announced she was returning to the Fever after six years with the NBA organization. Krauskopf led the Fever from 2000-2018. During her tenure, Indiana appeared in 13 postseasons and three WNBA finals in a seven-year span.
Earlier this month, Krauskopf heaped high praise for Sides in her introductory press conference.
"It takes time," Krauskopf said. "It took a long time for the teams that I've had to jell and to get together, I mean, years. It doesn't happen in four months. It takes a few years. I was really impressed with the progress that they made and how Christie is a resilient leader. You know, she's a culture-builder. I know just that she's got that kind of, you know, stamina to stick to it and stick to her plan, and she's a good person, and she's a great leader. I was impressed with the way they finished."
Nevertheless, the departure of Sides says otherwise.
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