The Phoenix Mercury have parted ways with head coach Vanessa Nygaard and promoted Nikki Blue to interim head coach for the remainder of the season, the team announced on Sunday. Nygaard, who was just hired in 2022, is the first coach in the league to be fired this season and ends her tenure with a 17-31 record.
Phoenix’s front office made the decision less than a day after the team was crushed by the Seattle Storm, 97-74, for their fifth straight defeat. Now just 2-10, the Mercury are in last place in the league and on pace to miss the playoffs for the first time since 2012.
To some extent, Nygaard was dealt a losing hand. Less than a month after she was hired last year, Brittney Griner was detained in Russia on drug charges and ended up missing the entire season. Her absence was a massive loss on the court, obviously, and also took a major emotional toll on the team and franchise. In addition, they were beset by a series of injuries and finished the season…
