The Indiana Fever won’t retain head coach Christie Sides for the 2025 season.
“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 Kelly Krauskopf said in a statement.
“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.”
The 47-year-old Sides had two seasons remaining on her four-year contract, according to Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files.
Sides led the Fever to a 20-20 record in her second season, helping them return to the playoffs for the first time since 2016. No. 1 pick Caitlin Clark also made her professional debut in 2024, with the Rookie of the Year winner averaging 19.2 points and 8.4 assists under Sides.
However, their postseason stint was short-lived. The Fever lost their opening first-round contest to the Connecticut Sun by 24 points and were eliminated from the best-of-three series following an 87-81 defeat in Game 2.
In 2023, Sides’ first year as a head coach following more than a decade as an assistant, Indiana went 13-27, finishing last in the Eastern Conference and with the third-worst record in the WNBA.
Half of the 12-team league is now seeking a new head coach, per Agness. The Fever are the sixth franchise this offseason to create a vacancy on their sideline, joining the Los Angeles Sparks, Chicago Sky, Atlanta Dream, Dallas Wings, and Washington Mystics.
