Congratulations to the Las Vegas Aces, the 2023 WNBA champions and first back-to-back champions since 2002. Catch up on the women’s hoops news you might have missed during all the festivities:
Phoenix Mercury name Nate Tibbetts next head coach
On Monday, the Phoenix Mercury filled their head coaching vacancy, hiring Orlando Magic assistant coach Nate Tibbetts. This is the second major hire for which new owner Mat Ishbia has tapped a young(ish) white man who has worked in the NBA and has no experience in women’s basketball, first naming Nick U’Ren, previously a basketball operations executive with the Golden State Warriors, general manger and now selecting Tibbetts, who also had served as an assistant coach for the Portland Trailblazers and Cleveland Cavaliers, as head coach. Ishbia also made Tibbetts the highest-paid coach in the WNBA.
ESPN Sources: Orlando Magic assistant Nate Tibbetts is finalizing a deal to become the new head coach of the Phoenix Mercury. Tibbetts — who’s also been an assistant with Portland and Cleveland — will become the highest paid coach in WNBA history. pic.twitter.com/4GTw8zsTvW
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) October 16, 2023
While Ishbia’s early willingness to invest in the Mercury has inspired optimism, the decision to…
