{"id":198534,"date":"2025-10-03T02:12:09","date_gmt":"2025-10-03T02:12:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/198534\/"},"modified":"2025-10-03T02:12:09","modified_gmt":"2025-10-03T02:12:09","slug":"wnba-black-women-head-coach-candidates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/198534\/","title":{"rendered":"WNBA Black Women Head Coach Candidates"},"content":{"rendered":"

As the post-season continues, with the WNBA Finals set to start later this week, we can\u2019t overlook the annual firing season that typically runs simultaneously.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Noelle Quinn Credit: Charles Hallman<\/p>\n

Last week Seattle (Noelle Quinn) and New York (Sandy Brondello) head coaches both were fired after their respective teams\u2019 first-round exits.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Quinn firing didn\u2019t come as a surprise, but she was the W\u2019s 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\u2019s only Black-majority pro league.<\/p>\n

As a result, with now four openings \u2014 Seattle, NY, and expansion clubs Toronto and Portland to begin their run next season \u2014 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:<\/p>\n

\"\"Courtney Paris Credit: Charles Hallman<\/p>\n

Barbara Turner, Kristi Toliver, Ta\u2019Shauna 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.<\/p>\n

Henry (Unrivaled) and Wright have previous head coaching experience, and Wakama currently is the Nigerian women\u2019s basketball coach.<\/p>\n

\u201cEach one of them that wants the shot should get interview opportunities for the 4 open head coach positions,\u201d said a posting on WNBAThreads by candachi87.<\/p>\n

Wolves broadcasters<\/p>\n

The Minnesota Timberwolves announced last week their television, radio, and audio streaming broadcast talent for the upcoming 2025-26 season.<\/p>\n

\"\"Jim Petersen (l) and Michael Grady Credit: Charles Hallman<\/p>\n

The Wolves\u2019 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.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

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.\u00a0 When he is not available, Alan Horton, the Wolves\u2019 longtime radio voice, will fill in.<\/p>\n

\u201cMichael Grady is everything that everyone says about him,\u201d Lea B. Olsen said. \u201cNumber one broadcaster but an even better human being. It\u2019s been a pleasure working with him.\u201d<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt 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,\u201d Olsen told us last week.<\/p>\n

Brunson, a current Minnesota Lynx assistant coach, will be featured as an analyst on the \u201cWolves Live\u201d pre- and postgame show that airs 30 minutes prior to every regular-season game and directly after every game; it is hosted by Gellner.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s super and I\u2019m really excited,\u201d concluded Olsen. \u201cIt\u2019s exciting because the team is so incredible. It\u2019s just a really exciting time to be working for Timberwolves basketball.\u201d<\/p>\n

Charles Hallman welcomes reader comments to challman@spokesman-recorder.com.<\/p>\n

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