What Vanessa Nygaard’s coaching hire means for the Phoenix Mercury

When Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer got word Friday afternoon that Vanessa Nygaard is expected to be named the Phoenix Mercury’s new head coach, she was elated.

It’s been 24 years since the perpetually upbeat Nygaard played for the Cardinal, but VanDerveer has kept in touch and watched her coaching career.

“There is no one more enthusiastic,” VanDerveer said. “She oozes enthusiasm. She will not be outworked. She has a great passion for the game, and she’s prepared herself for this. And she’s just a really good person. I’m excited for Phoenix and for Vanessa.”

Nygaard’s hiring — which is expected to be made official on Monday — continues a recent trend of former WNBA players getting the chance to be head coaches. Dating to December 2020 when Vickie Johnson was hired by the Dallas Wings, every new head coach in the league has been a former WNBA player.

Noelle Quinn was elevated to take over the Seattle Storm when Dan Hughes stepped down for health reasons last May. Tanisha Wright was hired by the Atlanta Dream in October. Becky Hammon was brought on board by the Las Vegas Aces in December, and Sandy Brondello — who had been in Phoenix — took over the New York Liberty earlier this month.

Pro players becoming pro head coaches is a natural progression in all sports. But with the WNBA entering its 26th season, the coaching pool of former players has gotten the opportunity to grow.

“I think it’s great; they understand the league,” VanDerveer said. “They’ve played in it, they coached in it. They understand the travel, the fatigue, all the things that go along with it.”

That’s no guarantee of success, and there are very good coaches in the league who never played professional basketball. But the opportunities for former players to coach…