After a 35-point beatdown in their season opener against the Indiana Fever attracted heavy criticism, it appears Tyler Marsh will continue to face the heat. The coach’s offseason acquisitions failed to impress, as a player he lost out on is making an early case for the Rookie of the Year award. And the Sky fans are not happy about it. Why would they be? Sonia Citron has been on a tear since entering the league, while the Chicago Sky have been overly underwhelming. The 3rd overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, Citron has impressed across her first two games, scoring 19 in her WNBA debut against Atlanta and following it up with 15 points against the Connecticut Sun.

And while Citron’s performances may have surprised some, that is far from the case for Mystics’ head coach Sydney Johnson. When asked about the rookie’s strong displays, he replied, “nothing that we don’t see in our gym quite literally every day,” lauding Citron’s work ethic. Although it’s still very early in the season, their strong start to the season places Washington 2nd in the WNBA at the moment. So, as the Mystics garner praise for their judgment, Chicago’s critics only seem to be getting louder.

Back in February, Chicago held the 3rd pick in this year’s draft. But they sent it to Washington as part of a trade deal that welcomed Ariel Atkins to the Windy City. While Atkins is highly regarded as one of the finest two-way guards in the league, Sky’s offensive disappointment, coupled with Citron’s form, has the fans asking one question. Did the Mystics win that trade? Well, fans of Atkins would believe the question is outrageous, considering her wealth of experience as a champion in the league. However, a closer look at the guard’s contract provides answers.

As Washington fans are enjoying the Sonia Citron show, Chicago faithful are left wondering what could’ve been. And their disappointment has now turned them against Tyler Marsh.

Fans are furious at Marsh for missing out

While fans expressed their disappointment with the front office at length, one fan had just a word to summarize it. “Fumble. Just that one word,” the fan posted on X. After the Sky fell in their first game, the city seemed rattled. After all, the offseason had built up massive expectations, and losing to rival Fever once again had fans feeling all sorts of emotions. Because who doesn’t like bragging rights, right? And it certainly did not help Marsh’s case that Reese seemed to be carrying the team’s load with little to no help.

Another fan opened fire on Marsh, raising questions over his resume. “Tyler Marshmallow was the Aces bag man and nothing more, knows NOTHING about evaluation talent”, posted the fan. The fans are angry, and yes, it is justifiable, considering they’ve lost out on a talent like Citron. However, this one could be a far-fetched take. Marsh’s role in player development was crucial to the Las Vegas Aces’ championship success. As their Assistant Coach and Head of Player Development, Marsh was instrumental in refining individual talents, and his impact was most visible in the remarkable improvement of Jackie Young’s offensive game, particularly her transformation into a consistent and effective three-point shooter.

Adding more to that lack of evaluation opinion, another fan said, “And to think Chicago could have had Citron for at least 3-4 years“. The contract providing answers? Yes, this is where it comes. Trading for Atkins signaled that Chicago was ready to rise out of the rebuilding. However, she could potentially leave after the season, considering her contract is only a year long. This has furthered the criticism of the deal as the Sky would’ve been able to keep Citron for 4 years, and her rookie scale contract would’ve been easier on the pocket too. For the Mystics, the decision was a no-brainer considering Sonia’s quality at Notre Dame and their plans to rebuild.

So, others, probably Mystics’ fans, weren’t criticizing Marsh at all, believing Citron’s arrival wouldn’t have led to a similar output. So, can we say that Johnson owes Marsh a thank-you card? Some definitely think so. “Probably wouldn’t have utilized her properly” one fan posted, while another had a more sarcastic approach, saying, “Thank you Chicago we’ll take 4 years of this“.

Despite having the pieces and potential to build a contender, the Sky faced an embarrassment at the hands of the Fever. And the fans feel kind of glad for Citron. Sonia has been balling in Mystics coach Sydney Johnson’s system. They play a modern, fast-paced offense that suits Citron’s profile like a glove. Why? Well, not just because the team has been efficient, but also because Citron liked it and was ‘excited‘ about it. Assistant coach and offensive coordinator Emre Vatansever elaborated on their offense, saying, “We want to push the pace. We want to take a lot of threes. We want to pass around the perimeter and inside-out. We want to move the ball.”  

So, you see, why the “Silent Assassin,” who wishes to remove that prefix, fits here? She has been focusing on losing some of that passiveness since college, aiming to boost her confidence. “But no matter what, I’ve learned that me being aggressive — whether I’m knocking down shots, whether I’m passing it, whether I’m rebounding — is always going to help,” she said in March, and the Mystics give her the perfect space to do so.

Another shot, however, took aim at a player the Sky did end up drafting, Ajsa Sivka. “He thought he was outsmarting everyone by trading that pick smh. Only to draft somebody who got overseas obligations,” the fan commented. With Sivka set to miss the 2025 WNBA season as she is prioritizing playing for the Slovenian national team, the Sky front office can expect to not hear the end of criticism on their draft decisions. The Sky were aware of her potential unavailability when they drafted her and will hold her rights for future WNBA seasons, but for the present season, they’ll miss out on banking on her talent.

Although Marsh will stay under heavy fire till positive signs start showing for Chicago, that’s how the life of a coach goes in the W. With Tyler having some of the greatest mentors in the game, we’re sure he has more than enough experience to weather this storm.