There’s no question that the Chicago Sky have been in the doldrums of the WNBA for quite some time. Ever since their 2021 title run, they’ve taken hit after hit.
They lose core players, from Candace Parker to Kahleah Copper to Marina Mabrey and more. Coaches, namely James Wade and Teresa Weatherspoon, left for a new job or were mysteriously fired. The ownership structure is and remains extraordinarily outdated. A new practice facility can’t be done on time or budget. And then they traded their marquee player, Angel Reese, to the Atlanta Dream.
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It was the Reese departure that left many wondering: How much worse could it get for the franchise, voted the worst-run in an anonymous poll of WNBA players?
And yet, it may be that the Sky are finally seeing the writing on the wall. Immediately following the trading of Reese, the Sky aggressively used the free agent market and locked up one big name after another.
The acquisitions began with seven-time All-Star Skylar Diggins. Then, the Sky acquired Jacy Sheldon from the Washington Mystics. They traded Ariel Atkins to the Los Angeles Sparks in exchange for Rickea Jackson. After that, they signed DiJonai Carrington.
Plus, they brought back Azurá Stevens, a member of the 2021 championship team. Veteran guard Courtney Vandersloot, also part of the 2021 team, was re-signed as she’s recovering from a ACL injury sustained last June against the Indiana Fever.
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Then came the WNBA Draft, when the Sky used the No.5 overall pick on newly-minted national champion Gabriela Jaquez from UCLA. In the second round, they drafted Ole Miss’ Latasha Lattimore before selecting Kentucky’s Tonie Morgan in the third round.
Suffice it to say, many keen observers of the Sky are surprised—surprised that they may have finally turned a corner by embracing a win-now mentality.
After all, the Sky have lacked in many key areas that it takes to win: elite offense, defensive prowess and leadership. Now, they have the right players to fill those gaps.
Diggins is that veteran leader, scorer, and playmaker in the same vein as Cynthia Cooper. Plus, she can fill the void in the backcourt left behind by Vandersloot as she continues to recover. Last year, she averaged 15.5 points and 6.0 assists per game for the Seattle Storm.
Meanwhile, Sheldon brings combination of high-level offense and tough defense. She averaged 1.8 steals per 48 minutes last season and shot 35.1 percent from the 3-point line. 3-pointers have been a longstanding issue for the Sky, and Sheldon can complement the likes of Rachel Banham in that realm.
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Jackson is bound to be a prolific scorer from all spots on the floor, averaging 14.6 points per game, while also bringing a dimension of toughness to her offensive game. Carrington offers the lockdown defense. She was named the 2024 Most Improved Player, in addition to making the All-Defensive First Team. Her quickness and versatility are great assets in disrupting the passing lanes, switching and on-ball coverage on the perimeter.
Stevens is as versatile as they come. She can score from the perimeter when needed and can hold it down in the paint as an effective shot blocker. Stevens is coming off the best season of her career, averaging 12.8 points and 8.0 rebounds per game while also shooting 38.1 percent from the 3-point line for the Los Angeles Sparks. Plus, she complements an emerging triple threat in the paint with Kamilla Cardoso and Elizabeth Williams.
Turning to the talents of Chicago’s first-round pick, Jaquez knows how to score points. In addition to averaging 13.5 points and 5.5 rebounds per game this year, Jaquez shot 53.9 percent from the field, 39 percent from the 3-point line and 86 percent from the free throw line. In the national championship game against South Carolina, she had a complete game with 21 points, 10 rebounds and five assists.
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Her offensive resume exactly matches what the Sky have long needed: scoring points. Jaquez’s rebounding is just the cherry on top.
All that combined, the Chicago Sky may be the biggest surprise to watch out for this season.
Trading away a burgeoning talent and face of the franchise in Angel Reese was a blow. But the winds are shifting in the Windy City, and with this amount of talent, it should be blowing in more wins.
If not, the Sky will be falling once again.
