The Mercury organization has made a major move in the WNBA, announcing the departure of head coach Vanessa Nygaard and the promotion of assistant coach Nikki Blue to the head coaching position. This comes as a surprise to many, as Nygaard had led the Mercury to the playoffs in each of her three seasons as head coach.
Nygaard was hired in 2017, and during her tenure, she led the Mercury to two playoff appearances and a WNBA Finals appearance in 2018. She was also named WNBA Coach of the Year in 2018. Despite her success, the Mercury decided to part ways with Nygaard and promote Blue to head coach.
Blue has been an assistant coach with the Mercury since 2017, and she has been credited with helping the team develop a strong defensive identity. She has also been praised for her ability to connect with players and her knowledge of the game.
The Mercury organization believes that Blue is the right person to lead the team going forward. She has been given a three-year contract and will be tasked with leading the team back to the playoffs.
The Mercury organization wishes Nygaard all the best in her future endeavors and thanked her for her contributions to the team. They also expressed their excitement for Blue’s new role and their confidence in her ability to lead the team.
This move is sure to shake up the WNBA, as Blue is now one of only four female head coaches in the league. It will be interesting to see how she fares in her new role and if she can help the Mercury reach new heights.
