Episode 314: Tanisha Wright, WNBA Culture and Coaching

Guest: Tanisha Wright, Atlanta Dream Head Coach

In this week’s coaching conversation, Atlanta Dream head coach Tanisha Wright joined the Basketball Podcast to share insights of WNBA culture and coaching.

Tanisha Wright joined the Atlanta Dream prior to the 2022 WNBA Season and led the franchise to its most wins in a season (14) since 2018. Her breakout first year as a head coach with the Dream also earned her the Associated Press Coach of the Year award and a second-place finish in WNBA Kia Coach of the Year voting.

As head coach, Wright is responsible for fostering the growth of the Dream’s players and establishing a culture of integrity and accountability. She brings 14 years of WNBA experience as a player and 2 more seasons as an assistant coach with the Las Vegas Aces.

A first-round draft pick in 2005, Wright spent 10 seasons as a guard with the Seattle Storm, where she helped lead the team to nine straight playoff appearances and a WNBA Championship in 2010. She played another four seasons with the New York Liberty and Minnesota Lynx before retiring as a player in 2019.

While still playing in the league, Wright began her coaching career in 2017 as an assistant with the University of North Carolina at Charlotte 49ers. In 2020, the Aces signed her as an assistant coach, where she worked closely with industry leader Bill Laimbeer.

Prior to joining the WNBA, Wright was a three-time Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and First-Team All-American at Penn State.

Breakdown

1:00 - Vision of Coaching

3:30 - Huge Impact

5:00 - Building Culture

8:30 - Player Accountability

12:00 - Unstoppable Moves

13:30 - Analytics

17:00 - Player Development Coach

19:00 - Game Reps

20:30 - Traditional Practices

23:30 - Different Type of Realities