Losing the likes of Diana Taurasi, Brittney Griner, Sophie Cunningham, and Natasha Cloud all at once isn’t easy. The Mercury’s “win now” mode suddenly looked shaky, but they’d put all their faith in Nate Tibbetts, hoping that making him the highest-paid coach in the WNBA would pay off. The 2025 season has shown that it definitely did.

“Nate is an excellent basketball coach and an even better person. I am excited to work with him as we build an organization that our players, fans and community will be proud of. His knowledge of the game and commitment to creating a winning culture on and off the floor will be invaluable as we lead the Mercury into our next championship era,” said Mercury General Manager Nick U’Ren when he announced Tibbetts as the 12th head coach in Mercury history in 2024.

Often called the “Girl Dad,” Tibbetts came to the Mercury with 18 years of professional coaching experience under his belt. That included 12 years as an NBA assistant with the Orlando Magic, Portland Trail Blazers, and Cleveland Cavaliers, along with six years in the G League with the Tulsa 66ers and Sioux Falls Skyforce.

Nate grew up watching his father, Fred, coach girls’ basketball at Jefferson and Roosevelt High Schools in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where he won 11 state titles. Fred also led the University of South Dakota women’s basketball team and was named South Dakota College Women’s Coach of the Year in 1989. Now, Nate Tibbetts is chasing that same level of coaching success in the WNBA. “It’s kind of crazy how the world comes full circle,” he said after stepping into the league as a head coach.

In the 2025 season, Nate Tibbetts led the Mercury to their best season since 2014. He pulled it off after losing 10 players and bringing back just one starter. As of September 17, Phoenix sits just one win away from the semifinals. It’s been an incredible turnaround, and naturally, fans are curious about the man behind it all. This article takes a closer look at his family–especially his two daughters, who have been his biggest fans every step of the way.

Does WNBA Coach Nate Tibbetts have kids?

Nate Tibbetts met his wife, Lyndsey, back when they were both at the University of Sioux Falls. While she’s someone who prefers to stay away from the spotlight, the two built a life together and were later blessed with twin daughters. And those two little girls? They’ve grown into his loudest supporters!

Nate Tibbetts’ Twin daughters

Londyn and Jordyn Tibbetts, the identical twin daughters of Coach Nate were born in March 2018. Not much is known about their personal lives, but what we do know is they are often seen courtside of the Phoenix Arena cheering on their dad and the Mercury.

When Tibbetts took over the Mercury in 2024, it wasn’t the media or fans who grilled him the most—it was his daughters. “Being a father of two young daughters … I’ve never gotten so many questions about the Phoenix Mercury than I do from my two little girls, which is awesome,” Tibbetts admitted.

Turns out, one of Tibbetts’ daughters became a Natasha Cloud fan too. “But coaching men, I think maybe they didn’t see themselves in that light and I’ve got one of them that I never thought would pick up a basketball telling me she wants to be a basketball player because her favorite player is Natasha Cloud,” he shared. Cloud may no longer be with the Mercury, but who knows–maybe one of his daughters will grow up to follow in her footsteps. For now, though, there’s nothing online that suggests the twins have started playing basketball just yet.

For Nate, coaching in the W might just be his way of carrying forward his father’s legacy. But the “Girl Dad” has already done a remarkable job steadying the Phoenix ship. How his Mercury career plays out remains to be seen, but one thing is certain–his daughters will be right there, cheering him on every step of the way.