James Wade Named WNBA’s Basketball Executive of the Year

The WNBA announced that James Wade had been named the 2022 WNBA Executive of the Year after leading the Chicago Sky to a tie for the record in the WNBA as the defending champs’ head coach and general manager.

Wade earned the most ballot votes (11) over Dan Padover and Mike Thibault. Padover won the award in the previous two years. The voting panel comprises one basketball executive from each team, with each rep submitting first, second, and third place votes.

Despite finishing the regular-season with a 26-10 record, identical to the Aces, the Sky are competing as the No. 2 seed in the playoffs. They’re in the middle of a tight first-round battle with the Liberty heading into a series-deciding Game 3 in New York on Tuesday.

Wade orchestrated a masterful offseason last fall, re-signing FInals MVP Kahleah Copper, Courtney Vandersloot, and two-time WNBA Sixth Player of the Year Allie Quigley. Wade also signed Emma Meesseman and Rebekah Gardner as free agents too. Wade traded for Julie Allemand, a Belgian national team teammate of Meesseman’s, too. The three acquisitions helped the Sky lead the W in field goal accuracy (48.1 percent) and assists per game (24.3)

Wade has been Chicago’s head coach and GM since November 2019. He won Coach of the Year in 2019, a franchise first. Wade is the first black winner and third coach/gm to receive the honor.