Still Batting 1,000: Caitlin Clark Will Have a New Coach, as Christie Sides Is Let Go

Why did the Fever fire Christie Sides? Indiana moves on from Caitlin Clark’s head coach for ‘future growth’

The Indiana Fever’s offseason plan will include finding a new head coach.

The Fever announced they have parted ways with Christie Sides on Sunday morning, ending a two-year tenure that saw the franchise snap an eight-year playoff drought during Caitlin Clark’s rookie season in 2024.

Sides is the sixth WNBA head coach to lose their job this offseason. Indiana now joins Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles and Washington as teams in search of a new head coach ahead of the 2025 season, meaning six of 13 head coaching jobs are available.

Here is more on the Fever’s decision to part ways with Sides and what it means for the future of Clark, Aliyah Boston, Kelsey Mitchell and the rest of the organization.

The Fever’s decision to fire Sides is rooted in their belief in where they stand as a championship contender in coming years.

Indiana president of basketball operations Kelly Krauskopf released a statement which, in part, reads, “While decisions like these are never easy, it is also imperative that we remain bold and assertive in the pursuit of our goals, which includes maximizing our talent and bringing another WNBA championship back to Indiana.”

Sides posted a 33-47 record in two seasons as the Fever head coach.

In 2023, the Fever used the No. 1 overall pick to select Boston, whose rookie season included an All-Star selection and Rookie of the Year honors. But Indiana missed the postseason with a 13-27 record and again earned the No. 1 pick in the upcoming draft.

Indiana selected Clark first overall in 2024 and entered the season with high expectations. After a 1-8 start to the season, the Fever won 19 of their next 31 games, Clark broke several records, and the team qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2016 with a 20-20 record.

In the postseason, however, the Fever were eliminated by the Connecticut Sun in a two-game sweep.

In response to the news, Sides took to X (formerly Twitter) to share a simple message to reflect upon the growth the franchise experienced under her leadership:

Sides spent two seasons on the sideline in Indiana and coached two No. 1 overall picks, both of whom would go on to earn All-Star and Rookie of the Year honors.

With two clear pieces for the future in place, Krauskopf thanked 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.”

That language, however, suggests that the franchise is now searching for a voice that will lead Indiana further than it went in 2024. While Sides was able to make a big leap from Year 1 to 2, this is a crucial offseason that includes Mitchell’s free agency, potential protection of players for the upcoming expansion draft, and using free agency to add players to build around Clark ahead of her second season.

With five other franchises also in search of a head coach, the coaching carousel will be the story that dominates the WNBA offseason.