The Indiana Fever announced that they were firing Christie Sides on Sunday. In her second season as coach, Sides helped the Fever recover from a 1-8 start to finish 20-20, reaching the playoffs for the first time since 2016. The team was knocked out by Connecticut in the first round of the WNBA playoffs.
Sides’ stint in Indiana ends with a 33-47 regular-season record after she helped No. 1 picks Aliyah Boston and Caitlin Clark win back-to-back WNBA Rookie of the Year Awards. Sides was named the WNBA Coach of the Month this August.
“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 in a statement.
Krauskopf rejoined the Fever operation earlier in October after working for the Indiana Pacers. The Fever will now enter the 2025 season with new leadership in its coach, GM and president positions.
As expectations evolve across the W, Indiana is now the sixth team to enter the head coaching market, joining Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles and Washington. Connecticut could soon be on the hunt as well, as Sun coach Stephanie White has reportedly been considered for positions with the Sky and Fever as well as her current team. White, the 2023 WNBA Coach of the Year, grew up in Indiana, won an NCAA championship at Purdue and led the Fever in 2015-16 before taking the coaching job at Vanderbilt. The pay gap between college and the pros was cited as part of her decision at the time.
“The money in the college women’s game … we can’t compete with that,” Krauskopf said in 2016 during her previous stint as Fever president and COO.
However, the WNBA’s financial landscape has shifted considerably since, thanks in large part to the Fever’s phenom guard. Multiple coaches now reportedly earn at least $1 million, and a bidding war could emerge with so many jobs now open. Unlike with players, there is no cap on coach spending in the W, giving teams willing to spend a potential leg up.
Indiana led the league in numerous financial metrics this season. Next year, the team will host the WNBA All-Star game as well.
