THE South Dragons' NBL season is all but done and so is Michele Timms, who yesterday resigned as assistant coach.
Having joined the coaching staff as the second assistant while also continuing as basketball development coach, Timms quit in anticipation of an overseas job offer, probably from the WNBA.
The departure of Timms is a blow for the Dragons, who are struggling at 4-17 and have lost eight in a row during a season that has not even got close to fulfilling the side's pre-season potential, expectations and ambition.
It is understood Timms will not be immediately replaced, leaving second-year playing-coach Shane Heal and assistant coach Guy Molloy in charge and covering all aspects of Timms' role.
The timing of Timms' departure is not ideal with nine games left in the Dragons' season, but the former Opals captain is firmly in the market place for assistant coaching jobs in the WNBA and wanted to be free to pursue them.
"I've got opportunities I need to be available for over the next four weeks," Timms said yesterday.
"I'm not going to say anything about the specifics, but there's quite a few jobs around that I have put in for. I'm looking for jobs and now I've got to be available for the interview processes."
The mid-season departure of Timms will certainly raise a few eyebrows and do nothing to ease speculation that the Dragons are dealing with internal dissatisfaction, which might be understandable given the win-loss record.
Indeed, the voluntary departure of Timms might well be the precursor to several more moves in the off-season as the Dragons desperately try to rebuild a team that has definitely failed to deliver.
Despite the negatives of the season, Timms was adamant she was leaving on a positive note and had enjoyed her time with the Dragons.
"It was fantastic and I just had a great time," Timms said.
"I always knew that something like this would come up and it's just something that I need to pursue. The guys were great to work with and I've had great support and some great messages and a couple of them will stay in my phone for a very long time."
While Timms would not disclose which WNBA teams she was hoping to speak to, her reputation as one of the world's best point guards at her peak and as a WNBA foundation signing means she will not be readily passed over for coaching jobs.
The former Phoenix Mercury star could end up back with that team, or she might possibly be headed to the Seattle Storm, where Canberra Capitals coach Carrie Graf is in the running to be the team's head coach.
A former assistant in Seattle and head coach in Phoenix, Graf and San Antonio Stars assistant coach Brian Agler are the two most likely candidates for the Storm position, according to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
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