CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Sky promoted Jeff Pagliocca to general manager Tuesday after hiring Naismith Hall of Famer Teresa Weatherspoon as coach nearly three weeks ago.
Pagliocca spent the past four seasons assisting with player development and advising the head coach. He was the Sky's director of skill development this year. Pagliocca also owns Evolution Athletics in suburban Deerfield, Illinois, where he works with high school, college, WNBA and NBA players.
“I’m very proud to partner with Coach Weatherspoon and the Sky front office to shape a championship-caliber roster," Pagliocca said in a statement. "With a strong background in strategy, player development, and tenure with this team, I am eager to build upon our tradition of excellence, hard work, and winning, in this energizing new chapter of Sky basketball. Expect us to bring unmatched toughness, grit, and relentless competitive spirit to Chicago.”
The Sky, who won the 2021 WNBA championship, finished eighth in the league at 18-22. They were searching for both a new coach and GM since James Wade left in the middle of the season to take an assistant job with the NBA’s Toronto Raptors. Chicago announced at the end of the season, after it was eliminated from the playoffs by the Las Vegas Aces, that interim coach Emre Vatanseyer wouldn’t return.
Wade and then Vatanseyer worked as both coach and GM. But the team announced after the season it would separate the positions like every other team in the WNBA now has done.
“Jeff’s expertise in player development and data driven talent evaluation, sophisticated basketball IQ, and his incredible relationships with players make him the perfect choice to complement Coach Weatherspoon as we strive for another championship in Chicago," Sky President and CEO Adam Fox said. ___
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