I’ve never envied the job of a head coach. From high school to college to the pros, it’s a public position that invites scrutiny from all corners. At the end of last week, the Dallas Wings lost a close game to the Minnesota Lynx after having the lead for most of the contest. Wings first-year head coach Jose Fernandez was very blunt in his postgame presser on Thursday night:
“It’s real talk, and it’s accountability,” Fernandez said. “That’s what I told them. I go, ‘There’s selfishness in this locker room.’ There is. You gotta look in the mirror and be accountable on how you played, and don’t get upset if you think that you should’ve played more, or you didn’t play enough, or you didn’t get the shots you think you should’ve gotten.”
Dallas fans were quick to point out that it was only the third game of the season, and Fernandez’s critique seemed arrogant. Players like Maddy Siegrist and Aziaha James have voiced support for their coach, and the team responded with a commanding 23-point win over the Washington Mystics on Monday night (and a season-high 30 assists).
Sometimes a coach publicly criticizes their team, and it comes back to haunt them. Just as often, it lights the fire the team needs.
A recent example is University of Tennessee head coach Kim Caldwell saying, “I have a team that’ll just quit on you,” after a brutal 43-point loss to South Carolina in February. Tennessee lost eight of their last nine games and had zero players on their roster at the end of the season. That same week, Texas head coach Vic Schaefer said his team had “no heart” after a 16-point loss to Vanderbilt. He added, “I wear it. I’m accountable. That’s my team, but it’s so disappointing. It’s probably the softest team I’ve had in years.” The Texas players responded by rattling off 12 wins in a row en route to a Final Four berth.
See? It cuts both ways. So, I’m here to help. If you’re a coach of a WNBA team, answer these questions before speaking negatively about your team to the media. Results may vary.
Will my team take this personally?
There is a common basketball acronym: KYP, which stands for “know your personnel”. It’s usually used in a scouting report scenario, but it’s key here, too. Coaches must know the temperament of their roster. If you’re certain that calling them out after a loss will motivate them, lead to tough practices and refocus the season’s goals, then maybe it’s a valuable tactic to use with discretion. But if there is any uncertainty that those things would happen, then don’t. Some things should stay in the privacy of the locker room or a one-on-one conversation.
Will this put a bad spotlight on my team?
As the leader of the team, your comments to the press are going to drive the social media quote graphics and clickbait clips.
Take Los Angeles Sparks head coach Lynne Roberts. After the first game of the season, she was asked postgame why a scoreless Cameron Brink – the No 2 pick in the 2024 draft – was limited to just eight minutes. She said, “We need Cam to produce … We have so much confidence and belief in her. She’s gotta get out on the floor with some confidence and do what she’s capable of doing.” The next few media scrums centered on that comment, Brink had to answer questions about it, and her box score was under a microscope. Merely three days later, Roberts seemed peeved to answer another question about Brink’s “slow start”: “She didn’t have a slow start. We’ve played two games … So the narrative of like, ‘What’s going on with Cam,’ it’s nothing. She’s doing great. So we got to stop the narrative.”
Coach, with all due respect, you created that narrative.
Do I want my team to like me? Do I want my star player to trust me?
If it’s your first year, this may be question No 1. Building trust is vital. Especially for the Wings, who are only one year removed from a last-place, fired-head-coach, 10-win season.
Do I like my job?
If yes, shut your trap. If not, then air it all out! You’ll have fans calling for your firing, and you won’t have to answer any more of my questions.
📸 Tunnel picks: denim-on-denim
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Nneka Ogwumike, Los Angeles Sparks: Madam President doesn’t play when it comes to a matching set. And this baggy, pinstriped denim one is perfect for strutting in a Hollywood tunnel.
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Gabby Williams, Golden State Valkyries: Who said jeans can only be worn on your legs? Gabby defies fashion rules with this unique look.
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Angel Reese, Atlanta Dream: These jorts paired with a Gucci belt, Gucci sandals and Hermès purse scream “Rich Auntie Running Errands”, and that’s what I always aspire to dress like.
💬 Pull Quote
“Truthfully, I think it’s bullshit. Obviously, I needed to get a tech. A lot of people think I’m a crashout, but it was very intentional because I will be damned if a player gets hurt on our team [from] something that was controllable by the referees. That is a part of their job.” – Natasha Cloud on the refereeing during the Chicago Sky’s 86-79 victory over the Minnesota Lynx on Sunday.
Cloud is never one to mince words. Her teammate, Rickea Jackson, suffered an ACL injury during the game and will miss the rest of the season. Cloud blamed the officials for failing to control the game’s physicality. The referees said they were focusing on freedom of movement at the start of this season, hoping to minimize rough play.
🗓️ This week’s can’t-miss matchups
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Golden State Valkyries v New York Liberty
Thursday 21 May, 8pm Eastern Time, Amazon Prime
The Liberty had the Valkyries’ number last season. Both teams have retooled. It should be an epic duel in Brooklyn.
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Dallas Wings v Atlanta Dream
Friday 22 May, 7.30pm Eastern Time, ION
This will be the Dream’s first game since a nail-biting 85-84 loss to the Las Vegas Aces in their home opener on Sunday. Both teams are hungry for wins. Can Paige Bueckers will her team past the deadly ATL Allisha Gray-Angel Reese duo?
This is an extract from WNBA 30, where Jordan Robinson covers the biggest stories in the league on and off the court each week. Subscribe for free here. Who do you think will have a breakout season and why? Email wnba30@theguardian.com, and we may feature it in the next edition.