ATLANTA — Atlanta Desire interim head coach Mike Petersen stepped down mainly because of overall health factors Saturday evening and will be replaced by assistant Darius Taylor.
“For overall health reasons that the grind of the WNBA season will not let me to sufficiently handle, I have made a decision to stage down from my coaching duties with the Aspiration,” Petersen reported in a statement. “I want to thank the Atlanta Dream gamers, staff members and possession for the possibility to be element of an incredible organization.”
Petersen took over the head coaching place a week ahead of the start out of the time when Nicki Collen left to turn into Baylor’s head coach. He was an assistant with the workforce because 2018 and has coached basketball for just about 40 many years at a wide range of concentrations.
He will shift into an advisory part for the team’s entrance business office.
“It has been a satisfaction operating with and obtaining to know Mentor Mike,” Dream the vast majority owner Larry Gottesdiener claimed. “We enjoy his willingness to stage up and consider on the job of head mentor this year and all the things he has performed for the workforce. His expertise and leadership will keep on to be a benefit to the organization as he transitions to his new part.”
The Desire have been 6-13 in the initially 50 percent of the year. They will return to exercise on July 28.
It can be been a tricky thirty day period for the franchise with the group indefinitely suspending guard Chennedy Carter right right before the Olympic break mainly because of “carry out detrimental to the crew.” The No. 4 pick in the 2020 draft averaged 14.2 factors and 3.4 assists this season while actively playing in 11 of the team’s 19 online games.
She experienced an elbow personal injury on May perhaps 29 and failed to return to game motion until eventually June 23.
