Christie Sides will be the next coach of the Indiana Fever. Sides spent time with the Fever as an assistant coach from 2017 to 2019 before becoming associate head coach at the Unversity of Louisiana Monroe. Last season Sies was on the Atlanta Dream coaching staff for first-year head coach Tanisha Wright.
Sides spent the 2003-04 season as an assistant coach at Louisiana Tech. Sides began her coaching career as the head JV coach and an assistant varsity coach at Ruston High School in Louisiana. While at Ruston, Sides helped the Lady Bearcats to consecutive state playoff appearances.
From 2004-07, Sides was an assistant on the LSU staff, with Pokey Chatman as head coach. She helped guide the Lady Tigers to three Final Fours and two SEC regular season titles in three seasons with the team.
From 2011 to 2016, Sides coached under Chatman with the Chicago Sky, leading them to four straight playoff appearances. Including a trip to the WNBA Finals in 2014. The Duo also coached together in Russia from 2009 to 2013.
They led Spartak to consecutive FIBA EuroLeague Championships in 2009 and 2010 and five Final Eight finishes. Sides also served as Chatman’s assistant with the Slovakian Women’s National Team, helping the program to an eighth-place finish at the European Championships in 2009.
Sides has a lot of coaching experience and appear to be up to the challenge to help improve the Fever. She will take off a team that last made the playoffs in 2016.
Last season the Fever finished with a 5-31 record, but they have some pieces to build around. Last year’s first-round draft pick, NaLyssa Smith, is a solid building block for Indiana. Although the Fever also has Emily Engstler, Queen Egbo, Destanni Henderson, and Lexie Hull, Indiana will need all its young players to take a step forward to succeed.
Indiana has the best chance for the No.1 pick in the WNBA Draft Lottery this season. However, they also have five other draft picks and some cap space. Also, Kelsey Mitchell will be back and should be the team leader; she can score the basketball.
Follow me on Twitter: @raiderway83 and read other amazing articles on Beyond Women’s Sports.
