As the post-season continues, with the WNBA Finals set to start later this week, we can’t overlook the annual firing season that typically runs simultaneously.  

Noelle Quinn Credit: Charles Hallman

Last week Seattle (Noelle Quinn) and New York (Sandy Brondello) head coaches both were fired after their respective teams’ first-round exits. 

The Quinn firing didn’t come as a surprise, but she was the W’s only Black female head coach this season. Her departure after five seasons with the Storm leaves only Tyler Marsh in Chicago and Sydney Johnson in Washington as the only Black coaches in America’s only Black-majority pro league.

As a result, with now four openings — Seattle, NY, and expansion clubs Toronto and Portland to begin their run next season — following is a list of very qualified Sistahs, in no particular order, who are poised and ready to run a WNBA club as a head coach. All are current W assistant coaches:

Courtney Paris Credit: Charles Hallman

Barbara Turner, Kristi Toliver, Ta’Shauna Rodgers, Rebekkah Brunson, Charlene Thomas-Swinson, Danielle Robinson, Camille Smith, Nola Henry, Ronneka Hodges, Ashlee McGee, Rena Wakama, Tanisha Wright, Courtney Paris, Karima Christmas-Kelly, Briann January, Camryn Brown, Chelsea Lyles, LaToya Sanders, Brandi Poole.

Henry (Unrivaled) and Wright have previous head coaching experience, and Wakama currently is the Nigerian women’s basketball coach.

“Each one of them that wants the shot should get interview opportunities for the 4 open head coach positions,” said a posting on WNBAThreads by candachi87.

Wolves broadcasters

The Minnesota Timberwolves announced last week their television, radio, and audio streaming broadcast talent for the upcoming 2025-26 season.

Jim Petersen (l) and Michael Grady Credit: Charles Hallman

The Wolves’ television coverage will be anchored by play-by-play announcer Michael Grady, entering his fourth season, and veteran analyst Jim Petersen, who begins his 28th season.  

Grady, one of the true rising stars in sports broadcasting, announced earlier this summer that he also will be doing more national TV games on Amazon Prime Video, NBC Sports, and WNBA broadcasts this season. He did several games on ESPN and TNT this past season.  When he is not available, Alan Horton, the Wolves’ longtime radio voice, will fill in.

“Michael Grady is everything that everyone says about him,” Lea B. Olsen said. “Number one broadcaster but an even better human being. It’s been a pleasure working with him.”

Olsen, a Minneapolis native, South High School alum and University of Minnesota grad, can easily be called the dean of Twin Cities Black female broadcasters as she has been on the scene for nearly two decades. The veteran reporter will handle sideline coverage for all Timberwolves home games.

“It is a real honor to work with Michael Grady and Jim Petersen, and then have the opportunity to work with Rebekkah Brunson and Marney Gellner,” Olsen told us last week.

Brunson, a current Minnesota Lynx assistant coach, will be featured as an analyst on the “Wolves Live” pre- and postgame show that airs 30 minutes prior to every regular-season game and directly after every game; it is hosted by Gellner.

Minnesota will appear in a franchise-record 28 nationally televised games this season on ESPN, Amazon Prime, NBC, ABC and Peacock. The team also will be on ESPN Radio three times during its national coverage.

“It’s super and I’m really excited,” concluded Olsen. “It’s exciting because the team is so incredible. It’s just a really exciting time to be working for Timberwolves basketball.”

Charles Hallman welcomes reader comments to challman@spokesman-recorder.com.

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