Chicago Sky and WNBA
Chicago Sky news, scores and features, as well as coverage of the WNBA and women’s college basketball.
The Fever took Aliyah Boston last season with the top pick, and she earned Rookie of the Year honors.
As accomplishments and accolades pile up, the Sky’s star still has dreams of Olympic gold in Paris.
“I’ll weigh my options. If I feel really, really good then I’ll play,” she said.
Now that Weatherspoon and Pagliocca are in place, that direction is coming into focus, and it’s centered on player development.
This offseason, Copper’s fire is being fueled by her omission from both All-WNBA teams and amplified by a new coach who mirrors her energy.
Pagliocca was promoted from director of skill development to GM.
The South Bend native is the point guard the Sky desperately need.
The company is the first solely focused on providing footwear to female athletes.
On top of being a five-time All-Star, Weatherspoon was named Defensive Player of the Year in the league’s first two seasons (1997, 1998). Her team, she said, will hang their hats on the defensive side of the ball. Weatherspoon already has players that can fulfill those expectations.
The execution of the Sky’s vision — in conjunction with Weatherspoon’s hire — hinges on another major decision: who the franchise hires as its first individual general manager.
Weatherspoon says she is geared up to be a part of the organization and is looking forward to forming relationships.
Williams is the second Sky player to win the award. Hall of Famer Swin Cash earned the award in 2013.
Wade believes they got the right person for the job and has already spoken to Teresa Weatherspoon about her future in Chicago.
Their core group of players — WNBA Finals MVP A’ja Wilson, Kelsey Plum, Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray — are all returning. And that quartet is in their prime: Young is 26 years old, Wilson 27, Plum 29 and Gray 31.
The Aces joined the Sparks (2001-02) and Comets (1997-2000) as the only teams in league history to win consecutive titles.
Last offseason nearly half the league’s 144 players made the trek to Israel, Australia, Turkey, Italy and about a half-dozen other countries to supplement their incomes.
New York struggled in the first two games against the Aces in Las Vegas, but the Liberty found their shooting touch in Game 3 behind Jonquel Jones, who hit four of the team’s 13 3-pointers.
On Thursday, the Sky announced Weatherspoon as their next coach — the seventh in franchise history and the first not to be responsible for general-manager duties, as well. The team will introduce her formally on Oct. 24.
A’ja Wilson and Chelsea Gray have double-doubles to lead Las Vegas
The former Pelicans assistant, a Hall of Famer, replaces interim coach Emre Vatansever.
Jackie Young and Kelsey Plum each scored 26 points and defending champion Las Vegas pulled away from New York in the second half.
The Illini have gone so far in the wrong direction, it’s fair to ask if the program is in any better condition midway through Bret Bielema’s third season than it was on Lovie Smith’s last day.
But don’t blame the WNBA, don’t blame the players, don’t blame the players for being women. Blame us, blame society, blame sports and the people who are in charge of making sure sports have become essential to our life’s existence.
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced the expansion team will begin play in the San Francisco Bay Area for the 2025 season.
The NBA’s Golden State Warriors will own the new franchise.
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