11 Best WNBA Coaches of All Time
Image
Image Credit
Leon Bennett / Contributor via Getty Images, Steph Chambers / Staff via Getty Images, and Otto Greule Jr / Stringer via Getty Images
Image Alt
Mike Thibault of the Washington Mystics calling out plays against the Los Angeles Sparks, Cheryl Reeve of the Minnesota Lynx reacts during the third quarter against the Seattle Storm, and Michael Cooper of the Los Angeles Sparks during the WNBA Western Conference basketball
Image Size
landscape-medium
The WNBA has come a long way since its inaugural season in 1997, and alongside the star players who’ve shaped the league, great coaching has always been a key part of the game. Often, it’s what turns good teams into great ones.
Van Chancellor, for instance, led Houston to four consecutive championships, with each win being more difficult than the last. Cheryl Reeve played a huge role in the Minnesota Lynx’s dominance throughout the 2010s, while Becky Hammon had a historic debut coaching the Aces in 2022.
It’s worth noting that some names on our list have piled up championships and records, whereas others earned their spots through good leadership and team building. Below, REVOLT took a look at 11 of the best WNBA coaches of all time in no particular order.
1. Cheryl Reeve
Table of Contents
Image
Image Credit
David Berding / Contributor via Getty Images
Image Alt
Cheryl Reeve at Aces vs. Lynx game
Image Size
landscape-medium
As mentioned, Cheryl Reeve is one of the greatest head coaches in WNBA history. In 2024, she made history as the first to win Coach of the Year four times, adding to her previous wins in 2011, 2016, and 2020. That’s on top of all the championships (and playoff runs) she’s racked up along the way.
2. Mike Thibault
Image
Image Credit
Maddie Meyer / Staff via Getty Images
Image Alt
Mike Thibault at 2019 WNBA Finals
Image Size
landscape-medium
Mike Thibault is the coach who made the Connecticut Sun a WNBA powerhouse. What Thibault did in Connecticut (and later in Washington) was nothing short of remarkable, simply because he could turn overlooked players into All-Stars. Thibault won his long-awaited first championship with the Mystics in 2019.
3. Bill Laimbeer
Image
Image Credit
Ethan Miller / Staff via Getty Images
Image Alt
Bill Laimbeer at Lynx vs. Aces game
Image Size
landscape-medium
Bill Laimbeer has survived everything. The numbers — three championships, two Coach of the Year awards, more than 300 wins — speak for themselves, so pinning down his legacy isn’t all that hard. Laimbeer had an incredibly great run with the Detroit Shock, gave the Liberty a few solid years, and finished his final years with the Las Vegas Aces.
4. Van Chancellor
Image
Image Credit
Houston Chronicle/Hearst Newspapers / Contributor via Getty Images
Image Alt
Van Chancellor during Houston Chronicle media day in 2005
Image Size
landscape-medium
Van Chancellor hasn’t gotten as much recognition as he deserves, considering he won four straight championships with the Houston Comets from 1997 to 2000. At the time, the league looked very different and didn’t have nearly as many teams. Regardless of the challenges, Houston had a roster stacked with three of the greatest players of all time: Cynthia Cooper, Sheryl Swoopes, and Tina Thompson.
5. Sandy Brondello
Image
Image Credit
Lachlan Cunningham / Contributor via Getty Images
Image Alt
Sandy Brondello at NY Liberty vs. Valkyries
Image Size
landscape-medium
Sandy Brondello is a proven winner. She won Coach of the Year in 2014 and led the Phoenix Mercury to a championship that same season. A decade later, she guided the New York Liberty to their first WNBA championship, becoming a two-time titleholder and reinforcing her legacy. You simply can’t not include Brondello in the conversation of the best WNBA coaches of all time.
6. Lin Dunn
Image
Image Credit
Andy Lyons / Staff via Getty Images
Image Alt
Lin Dunn at WNBA Finals Game 4
Image Size
landscape-medium
Lin Dunn’s career is a tale of firsts: Dunn was the original head coach and GM of the Seattle Storm and the architect behind the Indiana Fever’s first-ever championship in 2012. After retiring from coaching just two years later, she returned to the Fever as a general manager, then senior advisor in 2025. Talk about a legendary career.
7. Michael Cooper
Image
Image Credit
Tim Clayton / Contributor via Getty Images
Image Alt
Michael Cooper at Dream vs Sun
Image Size
landscape-medium
Michael Cooper really had a ton of success with Los Angeles. While with the Sparks, he led the team to back-to-back championships in 2001 and 2002. He was also named Coach of the Year in 2000 and turned a loaded roster featuring Lisa Leslie into a nearly unbeatable unit. Great work, Coop!
8. Becky Hammon
Image
Image Credit
Dylan Buell / Contributor via Getty Images
Image Alt
Becky Hammon at Aces vs. Fever
Image Size
landscape-medium
Becky Hammon has already built one of the most explosive start-to-finish arcs in WNBA coaching history. She took over the Las Vegas Aces as a first-time head coach in December 2021 and immediately delivered a championship the following year, becoming the first rookie head coach since the league’s inaugural year to win a title. Her previous career as a pro baller and assistant coach for the Spurs is more than enough proof that she’s got it in her.
9. Curt Miller
Image
Image Credit
Meg Oliphant / Contributor via Getty Images
Image Alt
Curt Miller at Sparks vs Mystics
Image Size
landscape-medium
Curt Miller had a 165-141 record as a WNBA head coach across nine seasons before joining the Dallas Wings as vice president and general manager. He earned two Coach of the Year awards in 2017 and 2021 on top of making six playoff appearances with Connecticut. That’s a track record that speaks for itself. Even without a championship, the results were there. Miller built a reputation for turning talent into results and keeping his teams competitive year after year.
10. Stephanie White
Image
Image Credit
Michael Reaves / Staff via Getty Images
Image Alt
Stephanie White at Fever vs. Sky
Image Size
landscape-medium
If our list proves nothing else, it’s that basketball players make for really good coaches. Stephanie White played the majority of her WNBA career with the Fever, and it’s probably no coincidence that Indiana also served as her first head coaching role. In 2015, she led the team to the WNBA Finals, and though her second season didn’t bring the same success, she later earned WNBA Coach of the Year in 2023 with the Connecticut Sun.
As Fever president Kelly Krauskopf put it, “Stephanie is a part of the fabric of this franchise, both as a former player and as a member of our championship coaching staff.”
11. Fred Williams
Image
Image Credit
Meg Oliphant / Contributor via Getty Images
Image Alt
Fred Williams at Sparks vs. Mystics
Image Size
landscape-medium
Fred Williams is a great coach. While he may not have the championship of a Reeve or Thibault, he remains highly respected. Williams guided the Atlanta Dream to the WNBA Finals in 2013 and also worked with the Utah Starzz, Charlotte Sting, and served as the head coach for the Los Angeles Sparks.