Winning is hard. Honestly, sustaining it is even harder. For the Chicago Sky, the last few years have felt like a chaotic game of musical chairs. Since that magical 2021 title, the team has shuffled through coaches and identities at a rate that would make most fans dizzy. Then came November 3, 2024. The Sky announced they were hiring Tyler Marsh, the player development guru from the Las Vegas Aces.
People reacted. Some were hyped. Others were skeptical. Why hire a guy who’s never been a head coach at any level to lead a franchise in the middle of a high-stakes rebuild?
If you've been following the WNBA, you know the pressure in Chicago is unlike anywhere else right now. You’ve got Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso—two of the biggest names in the sport—anchoring the frontcourt. You’ve got a fanbase that expects playoffs. And you’ve got a front office that hasn't exactly been patient. Tyler Marsh didn't just walk into a job; he walked into a furnace.
The "Swiss Army Knife" Tag
Before he was the main man in Chicago, Tyler Marsh was the guy behind the scenes. In Las Vegas, Becky Hammon called him her "Swiss Army knife." That’s not just a catchy nickname. Marsh has spent over a decade grinding through the NBA, the G League, and the WNBA. He’s won everywhere.
- 2013: NBA D-League Champion (Rio Grande Valley Vipers)
- 2019: NBA Champion (Toronto Raptors)
- 2022 & 2023: Back-to-back WNBA Champion (Las Vegas Aces)
He’s a winner. But more specifically, he’s a "fixer." If a player's shot is broken, Marsh is the one they call. Look at Jackie Young. Before Marsh got to Vegas, she was a non-threat from deep, shooting 25% from three. A year later? She was hitting 43% and winning Most Improved Player.
Basically, Marsh is the guy who turns potential into production. For a Chicago Sky team that finished near the bottom of the league in offensive rating and three-point shooting in 2024, that skill set is more than just a bonus—it’s a necessity.
Why the First Season Was Such a Grinder
The 2025 season wasn't exactly a fairytale. The Sky finished 10-34. That’s a tough pill to swallow for a city used to winning. But if you look closer, the record doesn’t tell the whole story.
Marsh inherited a roster that was, quite frankly, a weird fit. He wanted to play "pace and space," but he had a team built for the 1990s. He wanted shooting, but the Sky often struggled to throw a rock in the ocean.
The biggest hurdle? Stability. Marsh was the Sky's fourth head coach in three years. You can't build a culture on shifting sand. He spent most of 2025 just trying to get everyone to speak the same language. He brought in his dad, Donnie Marsh, as a basketball operations specialist. He hired former WNBA head coach Latricia Trammell to shore up the bench. He was essentially building an organization from scratch while trying to win games.
Unlocking the Twin Towers
The real reason Tyler Marsh was hired was to solve the Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso puzzle. In 2024, everyone saw the potential. Reese was a double-double machine, and Cardoso was a defensive wall. But the offense? It was clunky.
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Marsh’s vision for the duo is different. He doesn't want them just camping out under the rim. He’s been pushing Reese to become more of a facilitator—a "point forward" who can attack off the dribble. For Cardoso, it’s about becoming a decision-maker at the high post.
"It's understanding that your rookie year is behind you... A'ja Wilson every year is adding something new to her game, and that's the trajectory we want Kamilla and Angel to be on." — Tyler Marsh
In 2025, we saw flashes of this. Reese averaged 3.7 assists per game, a significant jump that showed she’s becoming more than just a rebounder. Cardoso started demanding the ball in the low post with more confidence. The numbers improved, but the wins didn't follow yet. That’s the "growing pains" part of the process that everyone hates but everyone has to go through.
The Shooting Problem
Let's be real: you can't win in the modern WNBA without shooting. Tyler Marsh knows this. In his first press conference, when asked about his priorities, he didn't give a long-winded speech. He just said: "Shooting. We want shooting. And lots of it."
The Sky were abysmal from deep before he arrived. Marsh spent the 2025 season trying to empower players like Michaela Onyenwere and Rachel Banham to let it fly. He even looked overseas and into the draft to find floor spacers.
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The logic is simple. If you have Reese and Cardoso inside, defenses are going to pack the paint. If you can't punish them from the perimeter, those two stars are going to be suffocated. Marsh’s system is designed to create gravity. He wants five players on the floor who are threats. We aren't there yet, but the blueprint is finally on the table.
A Legacy in the Making?
Is Tyler Marsh the right guy? It’s too early to say for sure. But he’s the first coach in a long time who seems to have a long-term plan that actually aligns with the front office. General Manager Jeff Pagliocca hired him specifically because of his "calm, composed leadership style."
After the fire and intensity of the Teresa Weatherspoon era, the Sky seem to be opting for a more "lab-based" approach. Marsh is a teacher. He’s a tactician. He isn't going to win you over with a viral locker room speech; he’s going to win you over by showing you exactly how to improve your field goal percentage by 5%.
The road ahead is steep. The 2026 season is a "prove it" year. The Sky have the pieces, but the league is getting better every day. Marsh has to turn those 10 wins into 20. He has to turn "potential" into "playoffs."
Practical Steps for the Sky's Future
- Prioritize Perimeter Depth: The front office must continue to hunt for 38%+ three-point shooters to maximize the space for the bigs.
- Define the Rotation Early: Last year felt like a lot of experimentation; the 2026 squad needs a set identity from training camp.
- Internal Growth: Reese’s shooting efficiency and Cardoso’s passing out of double teams are the two most important developmental markers for this offseason.
Building a championship culture takes time, and the Chicago Sky are finally moving past the "quick fix" mentality. Tyler Marsh might not have been the biggest name on the market, but he might be exactly what this specific roster needs to grow up. If the shooting catches up to the talent in the paint, the rest of the league is going to have a massive problem on their hands.