The Mercury focused on candidates they thought they could get. Feedback from those conversations helped rule out some candidates. His initial list had more than 20 names, and he started to narrow the list by talking to everyone and anyone he could: former players and coworkers, mutual contacts, friends. Pitman noticed a fair amount of overlap in the suggestions from the committee, which helped him start focusing on a handful of names early on. You can't win with no chemistry even if you have great talent." You can win with less talent if you have great chemistry. "I believe that chemistry is as important as talent and in some cases more so. "I'm a big chemistry guy," he said while sitting in Kozar's office Friday. He valued a coach who could foster a close atmosphere and embrace the Mercury's three organizational pillars: winning championships, sustained success and being community leaders. Pitman was hoping to hire a former WNBA player who was committed to living in Arizona full time. He relied on his 25 years of WNBA experience to come up with names, he talked to Mercury vice president and Naismith Hall of Famer Ann Meyers Drysdale for her suggestions, and he got input from Phoenix's star trio: Diana Taurasi, Brittney Griner and Skylar Diggins-Smith. Pitman sat in his office on the 200 level of the Footprint Center and started compiling a list of potential replacements. 7, the day after it was announced that coach Sandy Brondello's contract wouldn't be renewed after eight seasons. THE MERCURY'S SEARCH didn't start in earnest until Dec. It was one of the most stressful moments in the Mercury's coaching search, which lasted 44 days and included more than 20 candidates, hours of phone calls and meetings, and four in-person interviews - and culminated with Monday's introduction of Vanessa Nygaard as the franchise's 10th head coach. Kozar and Pitman were headed to New Orleans to interview Pelicans assistant Teresa Weatherspoon, one of four finalists for the Mercury's vacant head-coaching job. "It was this clandestine trip that just the two of us were making, and then it was, 'Here's this person that knows,'" Kozar said with a laugh. Kozar was sure their trip would end up on message boards and all over #WNBATwitter. The agent, along with every other Mercury fan and employee, knew they were looking for a head coach. Moments earlier, Mercury general manager Jim Pitman had had a similar interaction with the same agent. Pitman going to find our next head coach?" she asked. As Kozar moved to the front of the line, it dawned on him: The TSA agent also worked security for Mercury games at the Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix. flight, and Kozar was hoping no one would notice him. 5, the masked agent checking IDs and boarding passes looked familiar. PHOENIX - As Phoenix Mercury president Vince Kozar walked toward the security checkpoint at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport the morning of Jan. Inside the Phoenix Mercury's decision to hire new coach Vanessa Nygaard You have reached a degraded version of because you're using an unsupported version of Internet Explorer.įor a complete experience, please upgrade or use a supported browser
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