In a WNBA offseason outlined by teaching turnover, the Minnesota Lynx made two large hires to spherical out head coach Cheryl Reeve’s employees, including franchise legend Lindsay Whalen as an assistant coach and former Washington Mystics head coach Eric Thibault as affiliate head coach.
Whalen, who coached at her alma mater of Minnesota from 2018 to 2023, was the Lynx’s level guard throughout their dynastic run within the 2010s. Thibault has over a decade of teaching expertise with the Mystics, for whom he served as head coach the previous two seasons earlier than his October firing.
“We labored laborious to place our greatest foot ahead for [our players] as a result of we proceed to have large targets for this group,” Reeve instructed ESPN. “I feel this employees is well-positioned to assist us get there.”
Behind famous person Napheesa Collier, the Lynx surpassed expectations to complete second within the regular-season standings and superior to the Finals, falling to the New York Liberty in a winner-take-all Recreation 5.
The Minnesota hires come amid a employees restructuring. Earlier this offseason, affiliate head coach Katie Smith departed for Ohio State and basic supervisor Clare Duwelius joined the brand new Unequalled league.
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Reeve had tried to rent Whalen two years in the past, however the Naismith Corridor of Famer mentioned there was no convincing wanted this time round.
“It simply appears like it is time to get again, work laborious, and be part of a group and a bunch,” Whalen instructed ESPN. “It simply all felt just like the timing was actually proper.”
Whalen, who retired after the 2018 marketing campaign, watched carefully this previous summer time because the Lynx had their greatest season in years, sitting courtside through the Finals in Minneapolis and in New York because the group got here inside seconds of a championship.
“She was actually supportive,” Collier instructed ESPN. “At all times congratulating after sport or saying we obtained this after a loss … simply actually had that supportive function this entire time.”
Whalen joins a employees additionally that includes Rebekkah Brunson, an in depth buddy and former Lynx teammate with whom she gained 4 championships.
“I feel it is what makes us so distinctive at Minnesota; we have now individuals who’ve been via what we’re going via,” Collier mentioned. “They gained so many championships within the place they’re teaching and we’re enjoying at now. … I really feel tremendous fortunate I get to be part of that.”
Reeve additionally hopes Whalen can present steerage to Courtney Williams, having additionally “lived that life” as some extent guard topic to Reeve’s excessive expectations for the place.
“I feel having me will actually assist her take hopefully one other step this 12 months into persevering with to guide the group and be a profitable level guard for the franchise,” Whalen mentioned.
Reeve sees each Thibault and Whalen as taking a hands-on method to participant growth and anticipates their previous experiences as head coaches will enable them to be even higher assistants.
Thibault and Reeve developed a “mutual respect through the years,” in Thibault’s phrases, with the Lynx and Mystics steadily coaching in opposition to one another within the preseason. Reeve sat down with Thibault a number of years in the past to supply recommendation on making the transfer from assistant to move coach.
Earlier than taking the helm in D.C., Thibault was affiliate head coach for his father, Mike, beginning in 2019, the season the Mystics gained their first WNBA title.
“You need to be sure you’re aligned the place you’re, and that wasn’t actually the case anymore,” Thibault instructed ESPN in regards to the Mystics. “I’ve obtained no ailing emotions in anyway in the direction of D.C. … I felt gratitude in the direction of D.C. because it all ended, and I really feel plenty of gratitude in the direction of Minnesota now.”
Reeve mentioned Thibault has a “nice really feel” for the model of basketball she desires her Lynx groups to play — a five-out offense predicated on spacing the ground and sharing the ball — as a result of it is just like how the Thibaults ran issues in Washington.
She thought Thibault did a “super” job final season, rallying an injury-laden group from beginning 0-12 to being within the combine for the playoffs till the ultimate day of the common season.
“It was very clear the group continued to belief in what they have been doing, trusted one another, trusted the management of Eric,” Reeve mentioned.
Whalen and Thibault have their very own intertwined historical past: Whalen performed for Mike as a part of the Connecticut Solar for six seasons. Carly Thibault-DuDonis, Eric’s sister, served as Whalen’s affiliate head coach at Minnesota. Whalen even remembers going to Eric’s highschool basketball video games.
“The Thibaults and the Whalens have at all times been very tight,” Eric Thibault mentioned. “Now we get to place our heads collectively and attempt to assist Cheryl and the Lynx get again to being champions.”
“I could not think about a greater state of affairs for me,” Whalen added. “I simply am so excited, actually, for all of it.”