Tyler Marsh's hire by Sky signals commitment to elevate franchise

Wintrust Arena had a familiar buzz Tuesday.

Some of those in attendance — Sky center Elizabeth Williams, forward Michaela Onyenwere and guards Rachel Banham and Moriah Jefferson — were a major reason for the activity that’s typically associated with a game day.

But the real reason behind the feeling of deja vu was the introduction of coach Tyler Marsh. After all, it was only 12 months and 19 days ago that the Sky were introducing Teresa Weatherspoon as their coach.

What makes this moment different and why should fans trust the Sky got things right this time?

‘‘We had a pretty broad pool of candidates,’’ general manager Jeff Pagliocca said. ‘‘As soon as Tyler and I started talking, there was pretty immediate synergy.’’

That alone says why Marsh’s hire has the franchise in a stronger position than a year ago.

After the 2023 season, the Sky conducted a limited coaching search. Ownership targeted Weatherspoon early on and determined she would be the next coach without doing adequate due diligence. The Sky also promoted Pagliocca to GM after hiring Weatherspoon, which didn’t allow the two to develop cohesion from the very beginning.

This time around, the Sky’s candidate pool included coaches from the college ranks, the NBA and the WNBA. Pagliocca identified Marsh as a top target early on. The challenge came in convincing Marsh that the Sky could be a fit for him and his family.

Marsh might not have head-coaching experience, but he has a lengthy championship résumé. Most recently, he helped the Aces win back-to-back WNBA titles as their head of player development, maximizing the talent of No. 1 picks such as three-time MVP A’ja Wilson, Jackie Young and Kelsey Plum.

Before that, he spent 10 years between the NBA and the G League and worked on two championship coaching staffs — first with the G League’s Rio Grande Valley Vipers in 2013, then with the NBA’s Raptors in 2019.

That experience drew Pagliocca to Marsh, but it was Marsh’s reputation and success in developing young stars that confirmed he was the right guy for the job.

‘‘If you know Jeff, he comes in hot,’’ Marsh said jokingly. ‘‘He was very intentional about letting me know how bad he wanted me to be part of this organization. That went a long way for me.’’

In many respects, Marsh was in an optimal position with the Aces. Not only was he working under one of the most highly regarded coaches in the WNBA in Becky Hammon, but the Aces have set a new standard for business operations. He had no reason to leave, other than for a perfect opportunity.

Hammon’s advice to Marsh was simple: The offers will keep coming, so be choosy.

‘‘I knew I was going to lose Tyler,’’ Hammon told the Sun-Times. ‘‘I was hoping not for another year. I was doing everything in my power to keep him another year, but the opportunity was too sweet to pass up.’’

The Sky have made incremental improvements since losing most of their 2021 championship core after the 2022 season, none more significant than investing in a practice facility scheduled to open before the 2026 season.

Still, the Sky’s reputation through the years has been less than flattering. Franchise stars have forced their way out at an alarming rate, starting with Sylvia Fowles in 2015 and followed by Elena Delle Donne in 2017 and Kahleah Copper — the MVP of the 2021 Finals — in 2024.

Landing Marsh was contingent upon Sky ownership being clear on the direction of the franchise.

‘‘I was very open in terms of what I experienced in Las Vegas,’’ Marsh said, ‘‘how forward-thinking they were in providing the best resources they could for the players. That’s the most important thing. I communicated where I stood, and if those weren’t things that were able to be put in place, then I would have to stay put.’’

It won’t be long before the high of the introductory news conference wears off. After that, Marsh will have to work to prove that his success as a player-development coach can translate to the role of a head coach. It isn’t something Pagliocca is concerned about.

Player development, Pagliocca said, is secondary to the skills he believes will separate Marsh from others as a head coach. It’s a sentiment echoed by Hammon, who has commended Marsh’s strategy, instincts and in-game adjustments.

When news that the Sky had hired Marsh made the rounds, some of his old posts on social media were resurrected. In one post this summer, he shared his admiration for the Sky’s ‘‘tough’’ mentality.

But underneath that mentality was a disconnect that permeated the locker room because of a lack of accountability. While injuries affected the Sky’s failure to make the playoffs for the first time since 2018, the larger issue was that Weatherspoon’s system did little to maximize the talent on the roster, resulting in a 13-27 record.

Marsh made his plans to implement a high-powered offense clear when he said his first priority this offseason will be to focus on shooting. The Sky were last in the league in three-point attempts this past season. They undoubtedly will address their shooting needs in free agency and the draft, but Marsh said he thinks he already has pieces he can work with.

‘‘We want shooting,’’ Marsh said. ‘‘I told Rachel and Michaela in our first conversation, ‘If you have it, I want you to feel confident.’ That goes for everyone.’’

Marsh joked that he’s going to have Williams shooting threes, too.

Nearly 13 months after touting a new direction with Weatherspoon, the Sky are doing the same thing now. The noteworthy difference is what it took from Sky ownership to bring Marsh aboard.

Marsh was being pursued by other franchises, including the Sparks. He could have opted to wait out this hiring cycle and see what opportunities presented themselves a year from now. His decision to sign a multiyear deal with the Sky is a signal that ownership is serious about moving the franchise forward.

‘‘If you’re one of the last few franchises standing in terms of adapting to where this league is going, you’re behind,’’ Marsh said. ‘‘For us, we want to set trends. We want to be ahead of the curve. We want to continue to care for our players and put forth the best resources possible so that they’re the most successful.

‘‘It’s about the players, first and foremost. So whatever we can do to provide the right type of atmosphere for them to be as great as they are, that’s what we need to do.’’