Rena Wakama has been appointed as the new assistant coach for the Chicago Sky, a team in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA).
This announcement was made by the Chicago Sky on Tuesday.
Wakama, who is currently the head coach of Nigeria’s national women’s basketball team, the D’Tigress, brings valuable experience to her new position.
At 32 years old, she is the third assistant coach to join the team, supporting head coach Tyler Marsh.
She will work alongside fellow assistants Courtney Paris and Tanisha Wright as the team prepares for the upcoming WNBA regular season, which is set to begin in May 2025.
In her statement regarding the new role, Wakama expressed enthusiasm for collaborating with the team and contributing to the success of the franchise.
“I am honored and thankful for Jeff and Tyler for granting me the opportunity to join the Chicago Sky family,” she said.
“Tyler has one of the best basketball minds in the industry, and I’m excited to help him bring his vision to life. I look forward to serving this organisation and working alongside the other brilliant minds on staff to create a brand of basketball that is not only competitive but also fun to watch.”
Wakama made history in 2023 as the first female head coach of D’Tigress and led the team to victory in the FIBA AfroBasket Women competition.
She was named the tournament’s best coach at the Paris 2024 Olympics, where she guided D’Tigress to become the first African national side, male or female, to reach the quarterfinals.
In basketball, it’s common for coaches to oversee both national teams and clubs; for instance, Mike Brown was an associate coach with the Golden State Warriors while leading the D’Tigers in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.
