The much-awaited WNBA draft took place on April 16 this year, and Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso were picked up by the Chicago Sky. Both Reese and Cardoso were rivals during their time at the NCAA but now will be playing in the same team under head coach Teresa Weatherspoon. Under her unifying force, both are expected to give their best and have an exceptional WNBA season. The coach, who was appointed just last year, has already been predicted to exemplify Reese’s talent with her master skills.

However, not much is known about how Weatherspoon can help Reese, which is not an anomaly since Weatherspoon also stays in the shadows. It would probably come as a surprise for many but Weatherspoon was once the head coach for Reese’s Baton Rouge counterpart, the Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters. Another surprising element about Weatherspoon is that she once coached an NBA team.

Teresa Weatherspoon also coached in the NBA before taking over in the WNBA

The Hall of Famer started her coaching career by being the head coach for Westchester Phantoms. Weatherspoon was soon hired by the Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters.

For a year, she was the associate head coach and then was promoted to the position of interim head coach when the previous head coach, Chris Long, was fired. The Texas-born then stayed as the ad-hoc coach for some time until her promotion to the role of a full-time head coach for Louisiana Tech after around 2 months.

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She led the Lady Techsters to 2 regular season titles, one conference title, and 2 NCAA appearances. Unfortunately, during the 2014 season, she was fired from her position after the Techsters had an abysmal 12-20 tally and finished in the last position in the regular season. But this could not overshadow her achievements as a player.

Teressa Weatherspoon makes a comeback to basketball

Previously, she had even earned a place in the top 15 players in WNBA history. Therefore, in 2019, she made a comeback to franchise basketball. She was appointed as a two-way player development coach with the highly acclaimed New Orleans Pelicans of the NBA. She subsequently was asked to take on the position of full-time assistant.

During her time with the Pelicans, Weatherspoon worked in close association with NBA star Zion Williamson as per ESPN, which helped the franchise scale new heights. For her latest stint, the 58-year-old was hired for the position of WNBA head coach for the Chicago Sky in October 2023.

The Chicago Sky had a poor 18-22 record during the 2023 season and occupied the second-last position in the Eastern Conference. However, with the Weatherspoon’s entry into the franchise, fans are hoping for an exceptional comeback especially after they got both Reese and Cardoso in their lineups. Another question that has been lingering for a long time is how Reese can benefit and how she will fit in with Cardoso.

Teressa Weatherspoon can take Reese to new heights, covering her weaknesses

Reese is known for her ability to double up on points and rebounds. She is impressive both offensively and defensively. In this year’s NCAA Reese had 13.4 rebounds per match with 18.6 points per game. However, she is also known for her average abilities with three-pointer shooting.

This year, Reese only had 11.1% three-pointers. Since Weatherspoon was also not much of a long-distance shooting player, she could understand Reese’s style of play and get the positions that were well-suited to her.

Teresa Weatherspoon, with the help of her coaching staff, can also help Reese improve her shooting skills by telling her the tactics and conditions in which to go for three-pointers. During her NCAA playing career, Weatherspoon had 35.7% three-pointers. She utilized her long-range shooting skills quite a bit but was exceptional when she did so. Probably Reese should take a leaf out of her book.

Another advantage of having Weatherspoon as a coach is that she had an acclaimed WNBA career. Thus, she is the best-suited person to hold authority over both Reese and Cardoso. Given it is their rookie season, both of them will be trying to emulate Weatherspoon’s highly regarded career, and probably a word or two from the legend herself will motivate them. The two giants will also leave their previous rivalry and build on a long-lasting partnership from here on.

Meanwhile, for Cardoso, Teresa Weatherspoon can spin her magic on her. Cardoso was the alpha for South Carolina but has always played the role of a team player. And with her WNBA debut, Weatherspoon might deploy her for the same. As a second fiddle to Reese, Cardoso might just be the perfect fit offensively, considering her aggressive nature.

It will be exciting to watch the two stars play together in the upcoming WNBA season and what would charm more fans is Weatherspoon’s masterclass taking over crucial matches and taking them closer to the title. Will Reese and Cardoso be able to live up to the expectations? Can the Chicago Sky make a comeback after a disappointing last season? Let us know in the comments below.