The Phoenix Mercury fired head coach Vanessa Nygaard on Sunday.
Assistant coach Nikki Blue will replace Nygaard as Phoenix’s interim head coach for the rest of the 2023 season. The 2-10 Mercury are last in the WNBA standings following a five-game losing streak.
“We have chosen to make a change at head coach,” Mercury General Manager Jim Pitman said in a statement, per Cassandra Negley of Yahoo Sports. “We thank Vanessa Nygaard for the way she endured and managed the adversity of the last year-plus.”
“We have chosen to make a change at head coach,” said Mercury General Manager Jim Pitman. “We thank Vanessa Nygaard for the way she endured and managed the adversity of the last year-plus. …" https://t.co/yJk7DFyhoF
— Cassandra Negley (@CasNegley) June 25, 2023
Onlookers weren’t shocked by the decision given the team’s tumultuous start.
“There was little doubt that this had to happen,” ESPN’s Michael Voepel wrote. “It wasn’t an easy tenure for Nygaard, who dealt with *a lot* personnel-wise, to say the least. But a fresh start is what Mercury need.”
With the @PhoenixMercury off to a 2-10 start, there was little doubt that this had to happen. It wasn't an easy tenure for Nygaard, who dealt with *a lot* personnel-wise, to say the least. But a fresh start is what Mercury need. https://t.co/jPlPqiaUbL
— Michael Voepel (@MAVoepel) June 25, 2023
“Sorry to see anyone get released but excited for how the rest of the season shapes up,” a fan wrote.
sorry to see anyone get released
but excited for how the rest of the season shapes up https://t.co/XdgzPqFpHR— Hub (@BrodieHubbard) June 25, 2023
“We all saw it coming,” another fan said. “Team has to be better.”
We all saw it coming. Team has to be better. https://t.co/c0YMMbUer2
— Stephanie (@gayinKcK) June 25, 2023
“It will be fascinating to see what kind of money Mat Ishbia throws at a new head coach,” a fan wrote.
It will be fascinating to see what kind of money Mat Ishbia throws at a new head coach. https://t.co/B1CEsfz3Bx
— Ryan Gutierrez (@RGutie7) June 25, 2023
Phoenix went 15-21 in Nygaard’s first season with an opening-round playoff exit. But not much went right in a year clouded by Brittney Griner getting held as a prisoner in Russia.
The Mercury have allowed a league-high 88.4 points per game this season, magnified by a 99-79 loss to the Las Vegas Aces and Saturday’s 97-74 loss to the Seattle Storm. They’ve dropped their last five games by a combined 94 points.
Blue, a former point guard for the Washington Mystics and New York Liberty, will attempt to steer the Mercury back on the track. She’ll make her head-coaching debut Tuesday night against the Dallas Wings.
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