Emre Vatansever out as Sky interim coach and general manager

CHICAGO -- Emre Vatansever will not return as the Chicago Sky's coach and general manager after taking over on an interim basis following James Wade's midseason departure, the team said Wednesday.

Whether he will go back to serving as an assistant coach was not clear.

The announcement came three days after the Sky were swept out of the playoffs by the defending champion Las Vegas Aces. Led by All-Star Kahleah Copper, Chicago finished eighth in the WNBA at 18-22 and made the postseason for the fifth year in a row.

Vatansever, who started as an assistant with the Sky in 2018, took over when Wade left for an assistant coaching job with theToronto Raptors. He led Chicago to an 11-13 record. The Sky were 81-59 in 4 1/2 seasons with Wade and won the franchise's first championship in 2021.

The Sky tied the Aces for the league's best record in 2022, only to get knocked out by the Connecticut Sun in the semifinals. But they weren't the same team after that.

The roster underwent a big transformation in the offseason, with Candace Parker, Courtney Vandersloot and Allie Quigley not returning.