James Wade, the general manager and head coach of the Chicago Sky, won 2022 WNBA Basketball Executive of the Year honors on Monday.
Wade, 47, was honored for his work off the court as general manager and claimed the award as the league’s top basketball executive for the first time.
One basketball executive from each WNBA team voted for the award. Wade was named on 11 ballots, with Atlanta Dream GM and executive vice president Dan Padover (seven ballots) and Washington Mystics GM and head coach Mike Thibault (six ballots) taking second- and third-place honors, respectively.
Padover was honored the past two seasons for his work with the Las Vegas Aces.
This season, the defending WNBA champion Sky posted the highest winning percentage in franchise history (.722) and were tied for the best record in the league with the Aces at 26-10.
With Candace Parker as the only returning starater signed for 2022, Wade was able to keep his team together by re-signing 2021 WNBA Finals MVP Kahleah Copper, six-time league assists leader Courtney Vandersloot and Allie Quigley, twice named the Sixth Player of the Year..
His other acquisitions included forward Emma Meesseman and rookie guard Rebekah Gardner as free-agent signings.
Wade is the first member of the Chicago Sky to win the award since its inception in 2017.
–Field Level Media
