WNBA Release
KENNESAW, Ga. – Former Kennesaw State men's basketball standout and current Chicago Sky head coach James Wade has been named the 2019 WNBA Coach of the Year, the WNBA announced Wednesday. Wade, who played for the Owls form 1996-98, is the first Chicago coach to earn the honor in the franchise's 14-year history.
Wade received 27 votes from a national panel of 43 sportswriters and broadcasters.
In Wade's first season as a WNBA head coach, the Sky finished with a 20-14 record to earn the No. 5 seed in the 2019 WNBA Playoffs. Originally from Memphis, Tenn., Wade guided the Sky to a seven-win improvement from last season (13-21) and its third-best record ever. Chicago's other two seasons with at least 20 victories were in 2013 (24-10) and 2015 (21-13).
Under Wade, the Sky ranked second in the WNBA in points (84.6 ppg) and assists (21.6 apg) and third in field goal percentage (44.8).
Wade still ranks among KSU's top-10 all-time for single-season three-point and free throw shooting percentage. He was a crucial part of the 1997-98 team that went 19-10 to reach the Peach Belt Conference Tournament Semifinals. Wade finished that season leading the team in both free throw percentage (87.3 percent) and assists (86).
Wade joined the Sky as head coach and general manager in November 2018 after spending two seasons as an assistant coach under head coach Cheryl Reeve with the Minnesota Lynx. He was a part of the coaching staff that led Minnesota to the 2017 WNBA championship.
Before joining the Lynx, Wade served on current Seattle Storm head coach Dan Hughes' coaching staff with the San Antonio Stars from 2012-16.
Wade played professionally in Europe for nearly 13 years before joining the coaching ranks.
