Change isn’t coming to the Chicago Sky bench.
Coach Tyler Marsh will return for a third season in 2027, a decision that general manager Jeff Pagliocca confirmed during a virtual news conference Thursday. Pagliocca said Marsh has “full support” from the front office and will not be “on the hot seat” next season, which is the final year on his contract, per a source.
Marsh has a 26-62 record over his first two seasons with the Sky. The rosters he was handed were greatly flawed. This year, four of his top players — Rickea Jackson, Azurá Stevens, Skylar Diggins and DiJonai Carrington — suffered long-term injuries that sidelined or limited them for at least half, if not all, of the season. Pagliocca said that was a factor in his decision to retain Marsh.
“It was going to be incredibly unfair to judge someone that has yet to play with healthy rosters as a young coach,” Pagliocca said. “I’ve seen enough growth there. He is as selfless as I’ve been around. He coaches for the right reasons.
“He kept the locker room intact — and you all know what happens when you start losing. It takes people to dangerous and irrational places at times because it does get extremely frustrating.”
Despite his losing record, Marsh is well-liked within the Sky organization. Players believe he is a hard worker who genuinely cares about their development as players and well-being as people. Pagliocca noted that free agents were interested in coming to Chicago this season to play for Marsh, who has been well-respected since his tenure as lead assistant for the Las Vegas Aces.
But despite his overall popularity with players across the league, Marsh lost the support of one crucial player this season: Diggins.
More Top Picks Midea U Shaped Maw08v1qwt
The veteran guard clashed with Marsh almost immediately. Behind the scenes, Diggins began to push back against Marsh’s coaching tactics early in the season. She publicly berated the team’s “loser mentality” after its seventh game — and fourth loss.
Tension between the coach and player increased a month later, when Marsh moved Diggins to the bench for a July 7 game against the Phoenix Mercury to lighten her workload and accommodate Courtney Vandersloot’s return. Diggins ripped the decision on social media, then held herself out the rest of the season to rehab a long-standing knee injury.
This issue wasn’t exclusive to Diggins, who is expected to return in 2027 for the final season of her two-year deal. Marsh has drawn criticism from players — even those who support him — for not pushing the team hard enough or providing a firm disciplinarian presence.
His teams have struggled to execute in close-game situations, losing 16 of their 25 games that finished in the clutch this season. Marsh also went against development principles at the end of the season, allowing rookie Gabriela Jaquez’s minutes to dwindle to single digits while chasing wins and an out-of-reach playoff spot — a decision that raised internal frustrations.
The front office went through a serious reflection period over the past month, according to league sources, while considering whether to retain Marsh. Ultimately the Sky weren’t prepared to part with him, a decision that Pagliocca ascribed to Marsh’s character and personality as a coach.
“I never heard him make excuses,” Pagliocca said. “I never heard him shy away from taking responsibility. … Whether the players weren’t executing or he wasn’t executing, he was owning that responsibility. He is an active learner. He accepts all criticism. He knows what he wants to do differently and he’s made me believe that he’s the guy to lead this team.”
The continuity for the Sky also applies to the front office. Pagliocca is expected to return next year after a third straight losing season and a 39-89 record under his leadership. It’s the franchise’s worst three-year span since its first three WNBA seasons, which included a 5-29 debut in 2006.
Pagliocca said he doesn’t expect changes to come down after another losing season — and he doesn’t believe he or Marsh will face make-or-break pressure from ownership in 2027.
“I know that ownership was extremely encouraged and happy with our free agency,” Pagliocca said. “You guys should know by now, I put the pressure on myself. I get a lot of support from ownership, but I’ve really struggled with losing again.
“I thought this was the year to turn things around. They can’t put any more pressure on me than I’m putting on myself. The fans deserve a winning basketball team here.”