Heartbreak news:The head coach of Phoenix mercury officially announced her leaving due to coming back of an all time player.
Phoenix (AP) — The Phoenix Mercury have signed Kristi Toliver, a three-time WNBA All-Star and former NBA assistant, as associate head coach. Toliver will join first-year coach Nate Tibbetts’ staff, according to a hiring announcement made Friday. Toliver competed in 14 WNBA seasons with Washington, Los Angeles, and Chicago, winning two titles. She averaged 11.8 points and 3.4 assists before sustaining a season-ending torn ACL in 11 games with the Mystics last year.
Toliver became the first active WNBA player to work as an NBA assistant coach when she joined Scott Brooks’ team in Washington. She spent four seasons coaching in the NBA, two with Washington and two on Jason Kidd’s staff in Dallas. The Mercury hired Tibbetts in October, following Phoenix’s WNBA-worst 9-31 record. Vanessa Nygaard was fired in late June, and assistant Nikki Blue was elevated to head coach for the remainder of the season. The Mercury have a solid elder core that includes Brittney Griner and Diana Taurasi.
