Make wishtv.com your home page

AP Source: Indiana Fever hire Pokey Chatman as head coach

Chicago Sky Head Coach Pokey Chatman during Game 2 of the WNBA basketball Eastern Conference semifinal series, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2013, in Indianapolis. The Fever defeated Sky 79-57, winning the best-of-three series to advance to the Eastern Conference finals. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)

(AP) – Pokey Chatman wasn’t out of work long.

The Indiana Fever are hiring her as their new coach, a person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press on Thursday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the team had not announced the move ahead of a Friday news conference.

The 47-year-old coach was not retained by the Sky after this past season when she guided the team to an 18-16 record and an appearance in the WNBA playoffs semifinals. She won 106 games in Chicago and led the team to its first-ever playoff appearance in 2013 and a trip to the WNBA Finals in 2014.

She will take over a team that has a rich history in the WNBA, winning a title in 2012 and reaching the playoffs for the past 12 years. Indiana was 17-17 this past year, losing in the first round of the playoffs. Coach Stephanie White left the Fever after the season to take over at Vanderbilt.

The Fever will have a different look not only on the sidelines, but also on the court as longtime star Tamika Catchings retired. Indiana still has a strong nucleus with Briann Janaury, Erlana Larkins, Tiffany Mitchell and Marissa Coleman.

Before taking over Chicago in 2011, Chatman spent 16 years at LSU, her alma mater. The Louisiana native was an assistant from 1992-2004 before becoming the head coach. She was 106-19 as the head of that program, including a 15-5 mark when she was the interim leader in 2004 when longtime coach Sue Gunter left the team because of a lung disease.