Pokey Chatman’s Women’s Basketball Career
Learn about the current Seattle Storm assistant coach and longtime women’s basketball head coach
Dana “Pokey” Chatman is currently an assistant coach for the Seattle Storm. She previously served as the head coach of the Indiana Fever, Chicago Sky, WBC SpartaK, and LSU.
In this article you’ll learn about Coach Chatman’s coaching career and the impact she’s made on her teams. For more informative content like this, please consider subscribing to Behind the Coaching for weekly articles about coaches, teachers, and mentors in our sports.
Before Coaching
Dana “Pokey” Chatman was born on June 18, 1969 in Ama, Louisiana, U.S. She played basketball at Hahnville High School and was a five-time AAU All-American. Chatman is known for scoring the first 3-point shot in a high school game for the state of Louisiana.
Chatman later played basketball under Sue Gunter at LSU from 1987 to 1991, being named a Kodak All-American point guard in her senior year. She started in all but one game while setting the all-time steals (346) and assists (570) records at LSU.
She held the LSU assist record until was the 2003–2004 season when it was broken by Temeka Johnson, who played under Coach Chatman. Chatman played in the NCAA tournament four times and had an overall record of 82–38 as a player. She was a three-time All-SEC selection and led the Lady Tigers to their first ever SEC Tournament title in 1991, where she was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player.
LSU (1992-2004)
Chatman served as a student assistant in her final year of playing on LSU’s coaching staff, after retiring, starting in 1992. she became a full time assistant coach under Gunter. She was promoted to associate head coach in 1999.
In the middle of the 2003–2004 season, Sue Gunter stepped away from the team due to arising health issues, Chatman was named interim coach. She led the Tigers to a 15–5 record (27–8 overall) and the first Final Four in school history. However, LSU credited her wins to Gunter.
At the end of the season, Gunter retired and Chatman was named the 4th head coach in program history. Coach Gunter unfortunately later passed away on August 4, 2005.
Head Coach of LSU (2004-2007)
Coach Chatman started her full time head coaching position in the 2004-2005 season. The Tigers finished with a 33-3 record in 1st place, and reaching the NCAA final four. The following season, the Tigers finished 31-4 in 1st place, and again reaching the NCAA final four.
Coach Chatman resigned in the middle of the 2006-2007 season, she had a 26-7 record in her final season. Overall, she had a 105-19 record during her head coaching tenure.
She notably coached:
Temeka Johnson: Drafted by the Washington Mystics with the 6th overall pick in the 1st round of the 2005 WNBA draft.
Seimone Augustus: Drafted by the Minnesota Lynx with the 1st overall pick in the 1st round of the 2006 WNBA draft.
Doneeka Lewis: Drafted by the Los Angeles Sparks with the 25th overall pick in the 2nd round of the 2004 WNBA draft.
Quianna Chaney: Drafted by the Chicago Sky with the 19th overall pick in the 2nd round of the 2008 WNBA draft.
Sylvia Fowles: Drafted by the Chicago Sky with the 2nd overall pick in the 1st round of the 2008 WNBA draft.
Erica White: Drafted by the Houston Comets with the 17th overall pick in the 2nd round of the 2008 WNBA draft.
WBC SpartaK (2008-2010)
Chatman then became the head coach of the WBC SpartaK, a women’s team in the Women's Premier League for 2 seasons.
She notably coached Diana Taurasi, Candice Dupree and Sylvia Fowles.
Chicago Sky (2011-2016)
Coach Chatman was hired as the Chicago Sky’s 4th head coach in 2010. In her first season, the team finished 24-10, the franchise’s first winning season since its founding and made their first playoff appearance, reaching the conference finals before being eliminated by the Indiana Fever in 2 games.
In the following season, the Sky finished with a 15-19 record, but made a deep playoff run to the WNBA finals, where they lost in 3 games to the Phoenix Mercury.
She notably coached Tamera Young, Sylvia Fowles, Courtney Vandersloot, Michelle Snow, Le'coe Willingham, Epiphanny Prince,
Indiana Fever (2016-2019)
Afterwards, Coach Chatman became the general manager and head coach of the Indiana Fever. In her first season, the team started with a 7-7 record, however the team’s performance decreased, resulting in a final record of 9-25.
The following season wasn’t much better, the Fever finished 6-23, the worst record in the WNBA and in franchise history. The team later received the 2nd overall pick in the WNBA draft, later selecting Kelsey Mitchell.
In Chatman’s final season, the Sky had a record of 13-21, her best season in her 3 year tenure. The team recieved a top 3 pick in the lottery for the third season in a row, Teaira McCowan was selected. Chatman was fired in September of 2019.
She notably coached Tiffany Mitchell, Jeanette Pohlen, Shenise Johnson, Erlana Larkins, Jazmon Gwathmey, Marissa Coleman, Kelsey Mitchell, Candice Dupree, Cappie Pondexter.
Seattle Storm (2022-present)
Coach Chatman was hired as an assistant coach under Seattle Storm’s Noelle Quinn. In her first season as an assistant, the Storm reached the semifinals, but were eliminated in 4 games by the Las Vegas Aces, who later went on to become WNBA champions.
Following the retirement of Sue Bird in 2022, the Storm finished their first season without Bird in 22 seasons with a record of 11-29, missing the playoffs. In 2024, the Storm finished with a record of 25-15, facing the Las Vegas Aces in the first round before being eliminated in 2 games.
So far in her Storm tenure, she’s notably coached Sue Bird, Breanna Stewart, Mercedes Russell, and Jordan Horston.
USA Basketball
Chatman was a member of the USA Women's U18 team, who won the gold medal at the FIBA Americas Championship in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The event was held in August 1988, when the USA team defeated Brazil 70–68 to win the championship.
She later served as an assistant coach of the USA Women's World University Games Team at the World University Games (also known as the Universiade) held in Izmir, Turkey in August 2005. The team defeated Czech Republic, South Africa, China, and Poland to move on to the quarterfinals, they then beat Taiwan and Russia – in 50+ point wins. This led them to the championship game with Serbia & Montenegro which the USA won 79–63, winning the gold medal and finishing with a 7–0 record.
“I simply hope my former players respect the effort I put into improving them, the team and they felt that I treated them with respect.” - Coach Chatman on how she would want to be remembered by her former players
Coach Chatman has pushed her teams to the limits to compete on the highest levels of basketball on both the collegiate and WNBA levels so far in her career. She may not have a championship or a title, but her player development experience has continued to pay off with many of her players having productive and successful careers.