Fever Fire Coach Christie Sides after Playoff Sweep Ended Caitlin Clark’s Rookie Year

Des Moines, Iowa – Sides leaves Fever after four seasons, two playoff appearances

The Iowa Fever have fired head coach Christie Sides after four seasons, the team announced Monday. Sides led the Fever to two playoff appearances in her four seasons, but the team was swept in the first round both times.

This past season, the Fever finished with a 14-16 record, good for third place in the Western Conference. However, the Fever were swept by the eventual champion Chicago Sky in the first round of the playoffs.

Fever miss playoffs in Clark’s rookie season

One of the biggest storylines for the Fever this past season was the arrival of rookie guard Caitlin Clark. Clark was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 WNBA Draft and was expected to be a major contributor for the Fever.

However, Clark struggled to adjust to the WNBA game and averaged just 9.1 points per game. The Fever also struggled to find a consistent scorer, and they finished the season ranked last in the league in points per game.

The Fever have not made the playoffs since 2019. They have also not won a playoff series since 2015.

Sides was hired by the Fever in 2019 after spending four seasons as an assistant coach with the Minnesota Lynx. She was the Fever’s third head coach since the team moved to Des Moines in 2010.

The Fever have not yet announced a replacement for Sides.