October 31, 2023
Chicago Sky hire Jeff Pagliocca as general manager
By Aya Abdeen
'Expect us to bring unmatched toughness, grit, and relentless competitive spirit'
On Tuesday, the Chicago Sky announced that Jeff Pagliocca will be their next general manager. The news comes officially eighteen days after the team announced the hiring of head coach Teresa Weatherspoon.
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One week ago, the Chicago Sky hosted an introductory press conference for Weatherspoon as star Kahleah Copper, who agreed to a multi-year contract extension with the team in September, was in attendance.
“We are delighted to welcome Jeff Pagliocca as the Chicago Sky’s new General Manager to identify and build the roster that will be a model for sustained success,” Sky President and CEO Adam Fox said in a release. “Jeff’s expertise in player development and data driven talent evaluation, sophisticated basketball IQ, and his incredible relationships with players make him the perfect choice to complement Coach Weatherspoon as we strive for another championship in Chicago.”
Pagliocca spent the last four seasons with the Chicago Sky as a player development coach and advised the head coach. Throughout the 2023 season, he spent the season as the Director of Skill Development.
Pagliocca has over 20 years of experience in top-quality player development and basketball training. He founded his own company called Evolution Athletics, which is based in Deerfield, Illinois and offers training to athletes from high school to the professional level. In addition to this, he is a strategic consultant and advisor with scouting and film analysis expertise.
“I am beyond grateful to be named the new General Manager of the Chicago Sky,” Pagliocca said. “I’m very proud to partner with Coach Weatherspoon and the Sky front office to shape a championship-caliber roster. With a strong background in strategy, player development, and tenure with this team, I am eager to build upon our tradition of excellence, hard work, and winning, in this energizing new chapter of Sky basketball. Expect us to bring unmatched toughness, grit, and relentless competitive spirit to Chicago.”
On Sept. 8, Copper quote-tweeted the WNBA, who showed her highlights, saying, “We work on this” and mentioned Pagliocca’s Twitter (now X)’s handle. The Chicago Sky enters a new era with Weatherspoon as head coach and Pagliocca as general manager after a tough first round exit in this postseason, swept by the eventual WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces.
Written by Aya Abdeen
Aya Abdeen is a student in sports journalism at Arizona State University and has been a contributing writer for The Next since December 2022. She is also a sports reporter for the Sun Devils’ women’s basketball team for The State Press. Her work has also appeared on AZPreps365.
