Sport: Basketball Country: United States Category: Scores & Results

Ex-player names unexpected Coach of the Year over Cheryl Reeve

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Sep 26, 2026, 3:06 PM

Last updated Sep 26, 2026

Ex-player names unexpected Coach of the Year over Cheryl Reeve

Summary

WNBA analyst Rachel DeMita has named Sydney Johnson as her top choice for Coach of the Year, over Cheryl Reeve, ahead of the playoffs. Johnson led the Washington Mystics to a 28-16 record, marking a significant turnaround from last season's 16-28 performance. DeMita praised Johnson for establishing a strong team culture with a young roster, while Reeve's Minnesota Lynx remain the No. 1 seed entering the playoffs. The Lynx, having demonstrated strong performance metrics throughout the season, will face the New York Liberty in their playoff matchup. The Mystics are set to play the Atlanta Dream in the first playoff round as well.

Source Links

Yahoo Sports

By the Numbers

•Rachel DeMita ranks Sydney Johnson first for Coach of the Year.
•Washington Mystics improved from 16-28 to 28-16 this season.
•Cheryl Reeve's Lynx enter playoffs as No. 1 seed.
•Lynx face New York Liberty in first playoff round.
•Mystics will play Atlanta Dream in playoffs.

Latest Updates

3:06 PMYahoo Sports — "Flip-Flopped Their Record": Ex-College Basketball Player Makes Unexpected Coach of the Year Pick Over Cheryl Reeve After Remarkable Season

What they're saying

"
Cheryl Reeve has been one of the prominent names in the Coach of the Year conversation all season, and rightly so. She has coached a team that led the league standings for much of the season, now entering the playoffs as the No.
— Yahoo Sports

Related Teams & Leagues

Atlanta Dream Connecticut Sun Golden State Valkyries Minnesota Lynx Washington Mystics Basketball