Unrivaled has named its eight head coaches for 2027: five return and three are new. The newcomers, Pokey Chatman, Jarell Christian and Barb Turner, take over the three teams that finished at the bottom of the 2026 standings.
For the 2027 Unrivaled season, Pokey Chatman (Lunar Owls), Jarell Christian (Breeze) and Barb Turner (Hive) are the new head coaches. Teresa Weatherspoon (Vinyl), Nola Henry (Rose), Andrew Wade (Laces), Roneeka Hodges (Phantom) and Zach O’Brien (Mist) return. Season 3 tips off Jan. 8, 2027.
All 8 Unrivaled Head Coaches for 2027
Sources: Just Women’s Sports, EssentiallySports.
Clare Duwelius, Unrivaled’s President of Basketball, framed the slate as continuity plus a few fresh perspectives. That’s accurate: every team that made a deep run in 2026 kept its coach, and every team that finished near the bottom made a change.
The Three New Unrivaled Head Coaches
| Team | New coach | Replaces | Team’s 2026 record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lunar Owls | Pokey Chatman | DJ Sackmann | 4–10 |
| Hive | Barb Turner | Rena Wakama | 4–10 (last) |
| Breeze | Jarell Christian | Noelle Quinn | 6–8 (5th seed) |
Pokey Chatman, Lunar Owls
Chatman has the longest résumé on the list, with more than 20 years in coaching. She has been head coach of the Chicago Sky and the Indiana Fever and has also coached Brazil’s women’s national team. Most recently she was an assistant and associate GM with the Seattle Storm. She inherits a Lunar Owls team that went 13–1 in 2025 under Sackmann and then fell to 4–10.
Barb Turner, Hive
Turner won back-to-back NCAA titles as a player at UConn in 2003 and 2004. She has since coached as an assistant with the Washington Mystics (2026), the Houston Rockets and in the G League. Hive, also an expansion team, finished last in its first season, so it has the most room to climb.
Jarell Christian, Breeze
Christian comes from the Boston Celtics organization, where he was the Maine Celtics’ first head coach and later their GM. Under him, Maine posted back-to-back 30-win G League seasons. Breeze went 6–8 in its first season as an expansion team and will also be without Kate Martin, who agreed to a mutual contract termination in October.
Two of the three new hires come from the NBA side, as Christian and Turner both worked in G League and NBA systems. In a 3-on-3 game played to a target score, spacing and set plays matter more than they do in the WNBA. Expect Breeze and Hive to look the most different in January.
For each coach’s full roster, see our Unrivaled teams and rosters page.
The Five Returning Coaches
- Teresa Weatherspoon, Vinyl. Hall of Famer, entering her third season. Vinyl lost the 2025 title game to Rose and the 2026 semifinal to Phantom, so this is a third shot at a title.
- Nola Henry, Rose. One of the six original coaches. She led Rose to the first Unrivaled championship in 2025.
- Andrew Wade, Laces. Another original coach, back for a third year.
- Roneeka Hodges, Phantom. She was the 2026 Coach of the Year in her first season, but she now has to replace Aliyah Boston, who will miss 2027.
- Zach O’Brien, Mist. A New York Liberty assistant, back for his second season with Mist.
Sed Everett is back running the Player Pool, the group of relief players who fill in when someone is injured. Season 3 tips off Jan. 8 in Boston, and our Unrivaled tickets guide covers every tour city.
Unrivaled Coaching Changes by Season
Turnover has slowed each year. Only three original coaches remain from 2025: Weatherspoon, Henry and Wade.
| Season | Teams | New head coaches | Who left |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 6 | 6 (inaugural staff) | — |
| 2026 | 8 | 4: Noelle Quinn (Breeze), Rena Wakama (Hive), Zach O’Brien (Mist), Roneeka Hodges (Phantom) | Phil Handy, Adam Harrington |
| 2027 | 8 | 3: Pokey Chatman (Lunar Owls), Barb Turner (Hive), Jarell Christian (Breeze) | DJ Sackmann, Rena Wakama, Noelle Quinn |
Hive and Breeze, the two 2026 expansion teams, are both on their second head coach in two seasons.
FAQ
Who are the new Unrivaled coaches for 2027?
Pokey Chatman (Lunar Owls), Barb Turner (Hive) and Jarell Christian (Breeze).
Is Teresa Weatherspoon still coaching in Unrivaled?
Yes. She’s back with Vinyl BC for her third straight season.
Who was the 2026 Unrivaled Coach of the Year?
Roneeka Hodges of Phantom BC, in her first season with the league.
What happened to DJ Sackmann, Noelle Quinn and Rena Wakama?
None of them is a head coach for Season 3. Their teams (Lunar Owls, Breeze and Hive) have new coaches. The league hasn’t said where any of them is going.
Who coaches Rose BC in 2027?
Nola Henry returns for her third season. She coached Rose to the first Unrivaled championship in 2025.
Which Unrivaled coach has WNBA head coaching experience?
Teresa Weatherspoon (Chicago Sky) and Pokey Chatman (Chicago Sky, Indiana Fever) have both been WNBA head coaches.
