Mike Thibault Retires as Winningest HC in WNBA History; Will Remain Mystics GM

Longtime Washington Mystics head coach and general manager Mike Thibault will not walk the sidelines next season.

According to The Athletic, Thibault has retired from coaching but will remain with the franchise as GM. His son Eric, who has been an assistant on Mike's coaching staff for their entire 10-year run with Washington, has been elevated to head coach.

Mike Thibault is the winningest coach in WNBA history with a record of 379-289.

After being hired as head coach and GM in December 2012, Thibault led Washington to eight playoff appearances and the WNBA championship in 2019. The 72-year-old also coached the Connecticut Sun for 10 seasons prior to joining the Mystics and was named WNBA Coach of the Year three times (2006, 2008, 2013).

"I am proud to have been the Head Coach of the Washington Mystics the past 10 years. After 55 years in coaching (the last 20 in the WNBA), I feel like it is time to turn this team over to Eric and his coaching staff on the court. He is ready and prepared for it," Thibault stated.

Eric Thibault has spent the last four seasons as associate head coach. While working under his father, the 35-year-old handled player development duties with an emphasis on guards.

In addition to Eric Thibault's promotion to head coach, assistant general manager Maria Giovannetti was also named senior vice president of strategy and vision.

"I am looking forward to my continued role as GM, working together with the incredible energy that Maria, Eric and the rest of the staff bring in order to continue our pursuit of another WNBA Championship," Mike Thibault stated. "Maria will take on an even greater role in the development of our team on and off the court. Needless to say, we have an important off-season ahead."

Thibault was an assistant coach under Cheryl Reeve for Team USA during the 2022 FIBA Women's World Cup in Sydney, helping lead the squad to its fourth straight title. He was also on the staff that coached Team USA to the women's gold medal in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

The Mystics finished 22-14 last season and fell to the Seattle Storm in the first round of the playoffs.