Caitlin Clark’s Indiana Fever coach Christie Sides fired despite leading team to WNBA playoffs

The Indiana Fever have fired head coach Christie Sides after reaching the playoffs in Caitlin Clark’s rookie season. 

Sides went 33-47 in her two seasons with the squad, including going 20-20 this season. The Fever made the playoffs as the sixth seed and were swept in the first round by the Connecticut Sun.

Indiana is the sixth team to make a coaching change this offseason, with Dallas, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Chicago and Washington also making moves.

The Fever have a young core led by Clark and Aliyah Boston, but suffered from defensive inconsistency at times in 2024. Indiana ranked third in scoring and field-goal percentage during the regular season, but the Fever were still outscored by nearly three points a night. 

‘We are incredibly thankful to Coach Sides for embracing the challenge of leading us through an integral transition period over the last two seasons, while also positioning us well for future growth,’ Fever president of basketball operations Kelly Krauskopf said.

‘While decisions like these are never easy, it is also imperative that we remain bold and assertive in the pursuit of our goals, which includes maximizing our talent and bringing another WNBA championship back to Indiana. 

‘Coach Sides was an incredible representative of the Fever and our community, and we wish her nothing but success in the future.’

Krauskopf came back to the Fever earlier this month after spending time with Indiana Pacers.

Sides is hardly the first basketball coach to be fired after a brief stint working with the league’s most precious young talent.

Kevin Loughery, Michael Jordan’s first coach with the Chicago Bulls, lasted only two seasons with His Airness.

Larry Bird won an NBA title with his first coach, Bill Fitch, who was nonetheless fired by the Boston Celtics after two years with the legendary small forward.

Similarly, Ervin ‘Magic’ Johnson played for Jack McKinney and Paul Westhead en route to his first NBA title as a rookie, only to have Westhead replaced with Pat Riley in his third season with Los Angeles.

Matt Guokas lasted only one season with Shaquille O’Neal in Orlando, while Del Harris was replaced in Lakerland after a little more than two years with Kobe Bryant. 

A Louisiana native, the 47-year-old Sides previously served as an assistant with the Atlanta Dream and Chicago Scow, in addition to stints at the collegiate level.