Tyler Marsh Emphasizes Player Development in Introduction as Chicago Sky Head Coach
New HC aims to instill shooting confidence in players to expand offense options
Welcome to Beta Basket in English, the English version of Beta Basket, the first women’s basketball outlet in Latin America.
When I founded Beta Basket, I had no idea it would reach such a broad audience, and I have been asked by people to start writing in English too. So here it is!
And it just makes sense that I start with a story on Tyler Marsh, who will coach a player who has captured the women’s basketball audience in Brazil. I was present at his introductory press conference, and put together the most pressing topics that were discussed.
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Tyler Marsh outlines his priorities for the Chicago Sky
Tyler Marsh, the newly appointed head coach of the Chicago Sky, seemed very comfortable in his introductory press conference this past Wednesday (Nov. 12). He made a strong impression, outlining a clear vision for the team that centers on player development, selflessness, and scoring prowess.
Marsh’s diverse resume includes stints in college basketball, the WNBA, G League, and NBA, as well as a reputation for excelling in player development. He highlighted his ability to adapt and help players maximize their potential.
“I’ve been able to see and experience basketball at virtually every level,” he said. “When you’ve taken on so many positions, it’s not just player development. It becomes part of who you are and part of my makeup.”
Developing the Next Generation
Marsh spoke enthusiastically about nurturing the growth of younger players like Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese, two of the team’s rising stars.
“We want Kamilla and Angel to be good at what they do already,” he said. “We want to continue to highlight their strengths. We also want to figure out ways where they can score easily or still be effective defensively.”
Veteran guard Rachel Banham, who also spoke at the press conference, expressed her excitement about Marsh’s potential to elevate the team’s young talent.
“I’m not going to be here forever, but I really want this organization to grow into a top contender,” Banham said. “Their ability to grow is so high, and I know that’s something he can do and what he’s been doing in his career.”
Offensive Focus and Leadership
Under Marsh, the Sky aim to become an offensive powerhouse.
“We want to score, and we want to score a lot,” he said.
Shooting, in particular, will be emphasized. Marsh shared a message he delivered to players Rachel Banham and Michaela Onyenwere during their first conversations.
“When you have it, I want you to feel the confidence of letting it ride,” he said.
Marsh also underscored the importance of veteran leadership in fostering a cohesive and calm locker room environment.
“I’ll be leaning on our veteran leadership to provide that kind of calmness in the locker room, especially when I’m not around,” Marsh said. “So we can just kind of be even-keeled. We can turn it up when we need to, and we can pull it back when we need to.”
Building the Foundation
As the Sky gear up for a pivotal offseason, Marsh and Pagliocca are focused on assembling a strong coaching staff and navigating key milestones, including the WNBA Draft lottery, the expansion draft, and free agency.
“We’ve got a checklist,” Marsh said. “We’ll take it one at a time. We’re in the infancy of a lot of these conversations, but there are multiple conversations we have every day.”
Marsh said he is prioritizing selflessness and a service-oriented mindset in his coaching staff.
“Selflessness, having a serving mindset, being there for each other, not being above the fray, and being willing to do the little things to make a big difference,” he said.
Pagliocca expressed confidence in Marsh’s ability to lead the team and help attract talent to Chicago.
“Tyler’s about relationships,” Pagliocca said. “It’s a very rare combination to have someone that excels so much in the player development arena but is even more wired to be a head coach and have those instincts. He’s got a lot of weapons at his disposal, and I think people are going to be very excited to come here and play.”
As Marsh takes the reins, the Sky appear poised to embrace a new chapter built on growth, unity, and offensive firepower.