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The 2024 WNBA season has not disappointed so far, with a couple of teams already establishing their presence around the league. Aside from superstar-level talents leading the way, a number of coaches are also continuing to make their mark by ensuring their ball clubs are all ready to go on a nightly basis. After Week 1, there are a few coaches with a shot to win this year's Coach of the Year.
From Las Vegas Aces coach Becky Hammon to last year's COTY winner Stephanie White, some coaches started the season on an impressive note. While there are still a handful of games left, these individuals have made it a point of emphasis to handle their business right from the jump.
Be that as it may, these are five early candidates for the WNBA COTY award after a competitive week of professional basketball. Factors such as the team's record and how the team has generally looked from a chemistry standpoint were taken into consideration.
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Top 5 WNBA 2024 Coach of the Year candidates
5) Nate Tibbetts - Phoenix Mercury
Starting with No. 5 on the list is Phoenix Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts, who was announced last Oct. 18 to step up to the position. Given his strong track record of being an assistant coach in the NBA and NBA G-League, he is set to make $1 million per season of his contract. He is the highest-paid WNBA coach as of now, as per Front Office Sports' Doug Greenberg.
Against the Atlanta Dream, Phoenix secured their first victory of the season by a score of 88-85.
4) Cheryl Reeve - Minnesota Lynx
Listed fourth on the list, Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve is a three-time COTY winner in her WNBA coaching career. The last time she won it was in the 2020 season with the Lynx.
Under her leadership, Minnesota opened their season with a 2-0 start. Their two victories came against the Seattle Storm with scores of 83-70 (first game) and 102-93 (second game). As of now, the team is ranked number one defensively (84.0 rating) in the league.
3) Stephanie White - Connecticut Sun
Listed third on the list, Connecticut Sun coach Stephanie White is off to another strong start in the regular season. Connecticut won their first three games of the season; two were against the Indiana Fever and one was against the Washington Mystics.
Additionally, the team also boasts the number-one-ranked offense (110.0 rating) in the league.
2) Sandy Brondello - New York Liberty
Sandy Brondello of the New York Liberty is listed second with an impressive 4-0 start this season. In their current showing, they rank second offensively (108.0 rating) and defensively (87.8 rating) in the league.
After coming up short in last year's WNBA Finals, Brondello looks to bounce back with her Liberty squad for another shot at the championship.
1) Becky Hammon - Las Vegas Aces
No. 1 on the list is Becky Hammon, who won the award in 2022. With a 2-0 record to start this season, the Aces rank fourth offensively (107.2 rating) and seventh defensively (96.4 rating) across the league. With the opportunity to pull off a three-peat championship run this season, it'll be interesting to see how Hammon and the Aces accomplish an impressive feat.
