The Sky is not falling

During a free agency period filled with unexpected twists, there may be some light that emerges from the Sky, both from Chicago’s remaining and arriving talent.

The Sky may not be falling, but it does look quite different.

Since their magical run to the WNBA title in 2021, the Chicago Sky have undergone a profound transformation to where they are now mostly unrecognizable from where they were then.

Their then-head coach and general manager James Wade is gone. Candace Parker, Courtney Vandersloot, Allie Quigley, Azurá Stevens, Emma Meesseman and Stefanie Dolson set up shop on both coasts or abroad. Fast forward to this past year and their interim head coach, Emre Vantasaver, has left. Courtney Williams and Alanna Smith both signed with the Minnesota Lynx. Rebekah Gardner remains unsigned and her future is unknown.

But the biggest surprise came when the face of the franchise—Kahleah Copper, the 2021 WNBA Finals MVP who is affectionately referred to as KVP—was traded to the Phoenix Mercury. This came after she signed a two-year contract extension with the Sky back in September and, soon thereafter, was sitting alongside the new head coach Teresa Weatherspoon during her debut press conference. Weatherspoon credited Copper for her decision to coach in Chicago.

As a result of Copper’s trade, the Sky will welcome four draft picks, most crucially the No. 3 pick in 2024. With that selection, the Sky could bring Paige Bueckers of UConn or Cameron Brink of Stanford to Chicago, although both have an extra year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Sky will look radically different in 2024, but there is some potential amongst those coming back and those coming in.

What retuning players can bring to the Sky

Dana Evans

As one of the fan favorites, much more is going to be expected from Evans in a potential starting role. She has shown herself to be a capable player who can, when given the chance, facilitate the offense and score the ball, whether from the perimeter or driving to the basket. She also has the ability to be an effective defensive player. She’s an overall leader in the making who can make her teammates better.

Elizabeth Williams

The starting center has the veteran experience and commanding presence in the paint at both ends of the floor. Williams also knows that her reliability matters, and, as a result, she has shown herself to be someone who plays smart in order to avoid committing too many fouls.

Marina Mabrey

Mabrey will help fill the void left by Alanna Smith, especially from the 3-point line. Not only that, but she also can take after Copper and Evans as a playmaker who can make her teammates better with a solid number of assists, while also crashing the boards.

Isabelle Harrison

After being out all of last season with a foot injury, Harrison may finally be able to show what she is capable of, which, as demonstrated during her time with the Dallas Wings, is both scoring and rebounding.

What newcomers can bring to the Sky

Lindsey Allen

Arriving from the Minnesota Lynx, Allen is coming off a season in which she played more minutes than she ever had in her career (24.7 per game) and demonstrated her abilities as a playmaker and scorer. Given that, there is a good chance that she could replace C. Williams as the starting point guard.

Brianna Turner

The veteran forward coming from Phoenix could potentially see a starting role on the blocks as a complement to E. Williams. She will be expected to rebound with reckless abandon; her career high was 9.4 boards per game in 2021. If she comes off the bench, she could relieve E. Williams for some minutes, continuing to secure the paint for Chicago.

Diamond DeShields

A member of the 2021 championship team, DeShields is coming back to the city that put her on the map. The resilient guard not only became a champion in the Windy City, but she also earned All-Rookie honors, was the Skills Challenge champion and was an All-Star. Her dynamism made her a beloved player, and her ability to score, rebound and pass will be on full display when she arrives back in what is almost certain to be a starting role.

Chennedy Carter

Having last played in the WNBA for the Los Angeles Sparks in 2022, Carter is in position to start fresh and get back to form as a player who can score whenever she wants to. If she can remain healthy and help relieve Evans, Mabrey, and/or DeShields of playmaking responsibilities, while also rebounding when needed, she would be able to provide some sustainability.

Michaela Onyenwere

After two years with the New York Liberty and fresh off a year with Phoenix, Onyenwere has grown a lot as a player, capable of scoring from all spots on the floor when needed. Her defensive rebounding also can unleash the transition offense.

Kysre Gondrezick

After being drafted by the Indiana Fever in 2021, Gondrezick only played in 19 games, but she proved herself to be a player who can make a name for herself at the 3-point line and as a distributor. She was originally signed by the Sky for the 2022 season, but did not make the final roster. Now she may get her shot.

Taya Reimer

The journeywoman who went from Notre Dame to Michigan State to the Sparks hasn’t been able to fully showcase her potential in the pros. But her current showing for Botasspor Adana Turkey, where she is averaging 13.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game, indicates that she could contribute.

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So while the Sky will not be as familiar as they once were, there is a good mix of veteran and emerging players who have proven to be effective at the critical aspects of the game and can help Chicago remain a respected contender.