Sioux Falls Native to be Highest Paid Coach in the WNBA
One of the Sioux Empire's favorite sons has made quite the splash in the basketball world.
Former Roosevelt High School Standout, USD Coyote, and Sioux Falls Skyforce Head Coach Nate Tibbets has a new job.
Per multiple sources, including ESPN, Tibbetts will be named the new Head Coach of the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury.
Not only will he take over the reigns of the team down in Phoenix that finished last season at 9-31, but will also be the highest paid coach in the entire league.
Per ESPN.com:
The deal will make Tibbetts the highest-paid coach in WNBA history, sources said.
Tibbetts is a respected longtime coach in the NBA, including assistant stops with Portland and Cleveland over the past decade before joining Jamahl Mosley's staff as top assistant two years ago.
Tibbetts has had many stops throughout his coaching career even before the NBA stints.
He began right here in Sioux Falls as a standout high school player at Sioux Falls Roosevelt. From there, he went on to USD, and made quite the impact:
Tibbetts is the all-time assist leader in the 88-year history of the North Central Conference. He handed out 465 assists, or 6.5 per game, in conference play while leading the Coyotes to three consecutive NCC championships (1999-2001). Tibbetts ranks second on USD’s all-time lists for both career assists (678) and steals (215).
As a coach, Tibbetts' story began as an assistant with the Sioux Falls Cougars from 2001-2005. He then began his professional coaching career as an assistant with the Sioux Falls Skyforce later in 2005.
He took over the Head Coach position with the Skyforce in 2007, and has made stops in Tulsa, Cleveland, Portland, and most recently Orlando in his coaching career.
Here's the official tweet from the NBA's foremost insider, Adrian Wojnarowski:
Sources: ESPN.com, Go Yotes and NBA Coaches
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