Tanisha Wright

Last updated
Tanisha Wright
Wright5-20180523.jpg
Wright in 2018
Chicago Sky
PositionAssistant coach
League WNBA
Personal information
Born (1983-11-29) November 29, 1983 (age 41)
Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Listed height5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Listed weight165 lb (75 kg)
Career information
High school West Mifflin
(West Mifflin, Pennsylvania)
College Penn State (2001–2005)
WNBA draft 2005: 1st round, 12th overall pick
Selected by the Seattle Storm
Playing career2005–2019
Position Shooting guard
Number30
Career history
As player:
2005–2014 Seattle Storm
2015–2016 New York Liberty
2018 Minnesota Lynx
2019 New York Liberty
As coach:
2017–2021 Charlotte (assistant)
2020–2021 Las Vegas Aces (assistant)
2022–2024 Atlanta Dream
2025–present Chicago Sky (assistant)
Career highlights and awards
Stats at WNBA.com
Stats at Basketball Reference

Tanisha Lovely Wright (born November 29, 1983) is an American professional basketball coach and former player who is an assistant coach for the Chicago Sky of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She played college basketball at Penn State. During her junior season, Wright helped led her team to the Elite Eight, where they fell to the eventual national champion, Connecticut. [1] She ranks fourth in school history in points scored with 1,995 points in 134 career games. She was selected 12th overall in the 2005 WNBA draft by the Seattle Storm. Wright played in the WNBA for 14 seasons with the Storm, New York Liberty and Minnesota Lynx.

Contents

Wright began her coaching career as an assistant coach at Charlotte while still playing in the WNBA. After her retirement, she served as an assistant coach for the Las Vegas Aces from 2020 to 2021. [2] After the 2021 WNBA season, Wright was named the head coach of the Atlanta Dream, a position she held until 2024.

High school career

Born in West Mifflin, she attended the suburban Pittsburgh West Mifflin Area High School, where she played basketball and soccer. She led the team to the W.P.I.A.L (Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League) basketball district finals in her junior year. The team lost a close game 81–78 to Blackhawk High School in Triple Overtime. Tanisha fouled out in the beginning of the final overtime. She led the game with 51 points. She went on to lead her team to the next seasons finals once again against Blackhawk, where she led the team in a 63–53 victory. She went on to take her team to the state finals, where they lost a close game to Allentown Central Catholic high school 56–45. The team's record was 31–1, their only loss coming in the state finals.

College career

Penn State statistics

Source [3]

Year Team GP Points FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2001-02 Penn State 35355 45.4 10.5 78.2 4.0 2.8 1.8 0.610.1
2002-03 Penn State 35560 50.725.076.2 5.44.0 2.60.5 16.0
2003-04 Penn State 34 502 48.3 25.083.24.7 4.11.7 0.3 14.8
2004-05 Penn State 30 57841.4 20.0 80.3 4.5 3.6 1.9 0.4 19.3
Career Penn State 134 1995 46.3 20.0 79.5 4.6 3.6 2.0 0.5 14.9

WNBA career

Wright at Madison Square Garden in 2015 Tanisha Wright at 2 August 2015 game cropped.jpg
Wright at Madison Square Garden in 2015
Wright in 2018 Wright-20180914.jpg
Wright in 2018

Wright helped the Seattle Storm win their second championship in 2010. [4]

On February 2, 2015, Wright signed as a free agent with the New York Liberty [5]

In 2017, it was announced that Wright would be sitting out part of the 2017 WNBA season to rest. [6]

On March 13, 2018, Wright signed a free agent contract with the Minnesota Lynx. [7]

Wright was traded back to the New York Liberty on April 11, 2019, in exchange for a second-round draft pick in the 2020 WNBA draft. Following the 2019 season, Wright announced her retirement.

Coaching career

Wright began her coaching career while still playing in the WNBA as an assistant at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte 49ers in 2017. [8]

The Las Vegas Aces announced the hiring of Wright as an assistant coach in 2020. [9] Wright was known as a defensive specialist and helped coach the Aces into one of the league's best defensive teams.

On October 12, 2021, Wright was announced as the head coach of the Atlanta Dream. [10] On October 2, 2024, the Dream announced that it had parted ways with Wright. [11]

On January 4, 2025, Wright was named an assistant coach for the Chicago Sky under head coach Tyler Marsh. [12]

WNBA career statistics

Legend
  GPGames played  GS Games started MPG Minutes per game RPG  Rebounds per game
 APG  Assists per game SPG  Steals per game BPG  Blocks per game PPG Points per game
 TO  Turnovers per game FG%  Field-goal percentage 3P%  3-point field-goal percentage FT%  Free-throw percentage
 Bold Career best°League leader
†Denotes seasons in which Wright won a WNBA championship

Regular season

YearTeamGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGTOPPG
2005 Seattle 34815.5.462.000.6671.71.60.50.11.23.6
2006 Seattle 33015.4.353.143.8441.81.20.30.11.63.8
2007 Seattle 34516.1.400.273.8461.32.00.90.11.64.1
2008 Seattle 341423.8.432.167.7873.42.50.90.22.37.9
2009 Seattle 333332.5.463.267.9063.53.91.50.32.612.2
2010 † Seattle 343429.1.410.411.8443.34.51.20.32.19.2
2011 Seattle 333228.9.492.367.8973.22.91.20.02.710.1
2012 Seattle 323229.8.373.192.8593.04.41.20.12.77.9
2013 Seattle 343430.9.440.283.8553.74.11.10.22.911.9
2014 Seattle 292925.5.417.278.7952.33.60.90.12.18.0
2015 New York 343423.7.420.364.8452.43.50.80.12.17.4
2016 New York 292823.0.401.235.7172.33.60.90.22.36.7
2018 Minnesota 33417.8.383.396.7411.62.00.50.11.34.3
2019 New York 311719.8.415.368.8062.84.11.00.31.84.7
Career14 years, 3 teams45730423.7.424.308.8332.63.10.90.22.17.3

Playoffs

YearTeamGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGTOPPG
2005 Seattle 3012.7.200.0001.0001.72.31.00.00.73.0
2006 Seattle 206.0.000.000.0000.00.50.00.01.00.0
2007 Seattle 2021.0.467.0001.0002.52.50.50.53.09.0
2008 Seattle 3334.3.412.500.7505.72.72.00.03.713.7
2009 Seattle 3332.7.342.2501.0005.35.31.70.03.011.7
2010 † Seattle 7728.7.446.357.5712.62.91.30.12.79.6
2011 Seattle 3328.0.588.600.8334.02.31.70.33.018.7
2012 Seattle 3337.3.462.400.8893.76.01.00.02.311.3
2013 Seattle 2235.0.583.333.0002.03.02.00.03.014.5
2015 New York 6627.3.516.500.7142.73.81.50.01.76.5
2016 New York 1128.0.714.333.0001.05.00.00.04.021.0
2018 Minnesota 1023.0.333.000.0003.02.00.00.02.04.0
Career12 years, 3 teams362827.1.469.388.7763.03.31.30.12.49.8

Head coaching record

Legend
Regular seasonGGames coachedWGames wonLGames lostW–L %Win–loss %
PlayoffsPGPlayoff gamesPWPlayoff winsPLPlayoff lossesPW–L %Playoff win–loss %
TeamYearGWLW–L%FinishPGPWPLPW–L%Result
Atlanta 2022 361422.3895th in Eastern————Missed playoffs
Atlanta 2023 401921.4753rd in Eastern202.000Lost in 1st Round
Atlanta 2024 401525.3754th in Eastern202.000Lost in 1st Round
Career1164868.414404.000

Overseas career

SeasonsTeamCountry
2007–2008 Hapoel Tel Aviv B.C. Flag of Israel.svg  Israel
2008–2009 Tarbes GB Flag of France.svg  France
2009–2010 Lotos VBW Clima Gdynia Flag of Poland.svg  Poland
2010–2011 Elitzur Ramla Flag of Israel.svg  Israel
2013–2015
2016–present		 Abdullah Gul University Kayseri Flag of Turkey.svg  Turkey

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References

  1. ↑ "2004 Women's NCAA Tournament Summary". College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved 2024-03-13.
  2. ↑ "Aces Finalize 2020 Coaching Staff As 14-Year WNBA Veteran Tanisha Wright Joins Laimbeer, Johnson". WNBA.com. 13 May 2020. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
  3. ↑ "Women's Basketball Player stats". NCAA. Retrieved 26 Sep 2015.
  4. ↑ Voepel, Mechelle (16 September 2010). "Second title even sweeter for Storm". ESPN. Retrieved 17 September 2010.
  5. ↑ Liberty Sign Wright, Swords and Allen Archived 2015-02-03 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ↑ "WNBA: Wright to rest, will miss upcoming season". Swish Appeal. Retrieved 2017-08-30.
  7. ↑ Andrews, Julian (March 14, 2018). "Tanisha Wright To Bring Defensive Grit To Lynx". lynx.wnba.com. Retrieved March 24, 2018.
  8. ↑ "Tanisha Wright - Women's Basketball Coach". Charlotte Athletics. Retrieved 2025-01-05.
  9. ↑ Destin, Andrew (May 13, 2020). "Former Penn State women's basketball star hired as WNBA assistant". Daily Collegian . Retrieved May 14, 2020.
  10. ↑ "Atlanta Dream names Dan Padover as General Manager, Darius Taylor as Assistant General Manager – Atlanta Dream". dream.wnba.com. Retrieved 2024-07-16.
  11. ↑ "The Atlanta Dream have made the difficult decision to part ways with head coach Tanisha Wright". dream.wnba.com. Retrieved 2024-10-02.
  12. ↑ "Chicago Sky Add Tanisha Wright to Coaching Staff". sky.wnba.com. Retrieved 2025-01-05.
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