Nikki Blue steps into Mercury interim role
When Nikki Blue prepares for her first WNBA game as a head coach, she’ll view it through the lens of a brain surgeon.
Much like the schooling a brain surgeon needs before operating, Blue has forged her coaching style over 15 years in the WNBA and collegiate ranks. And now, she’s earned her chance to take over the struggling Phoenix Mercury team as the interim head coach.
“I feel like I’m ready,” Blue said.” I’ve been an assistant coach for 15 years, I’ve been under some fantastic head coaches. I feel like I’m ready and have been groomed for this. It’s finally my opportunity, so I’m going to make the most of it.”
It looked like the Phoenix Mercury would be back to its winning ways at the start of the season when Brittney Griner returned with Diana Taurasi.
But instead, the Mercury opened the season to a 2-10 record and were dealt a 23-point loss to the Seattle Storm on Saturday.
All of the pressure led to the team ultimately parting ways with head coach Vanessa Nygaard on Sunday. Nygaard was hired in 2022.
“It’s clearly the worst part of being a general manager having to make a change like this midseason,” general manager Jim Pitman said. “But again, it’s something that we don’t take lightly. We thought about it for a while, and it was a results-oriented decision.”
Pitman didn’t seek specific player feedback for the decision, but could tell from his observations that a change had to be made.
“I can see body language and it was probably time,” Pitman said.
A midseason shakeup wasn’t ideal for the Mercury, but the veteran core is focused on turning around a season that began with a 2-10 record.
Mercury center Brittney Griner said change can sometimes propel a team.
“Nikki is amazing. I’m not new to (a coaching change). When I first got
drafted here, I had Corey Gaines, and after a while, there was another coaching change. This is not nothing new to me. You just keep going,” Griner said. “I think from today and what we did, it’s going to be good. Sometimes you got to shake things up a little bit and I think that’s what we did and we’re going to be good.”
Pitman elevated Blue due to several factors, including her relationships with the players and her immense basketball IQ.
“The feedback so far has been good based on the energy level at practice today,” Pitman said. “I’m pleased with where we are and am looking forward to this reset. It’s really a start of a new season for us with Nikki leading the charge.”
Blue was an assistant at Arizona State in Charli Turner Thorne’s final three seasons as head coach. Turner Thorne was the second person she called when she received the news.
“It’s always bittersweet when it’s a situation like this,” Blue said. “Vanessa is a friend and she called me when everything happened and she’s very supportive and reiterated, ‘You’re ready, Nikki, you’re going to do a great job. I’ll be here for you and you can call me if you need anything.’ I have her support, which is great, and now we’re looking to move forward.”