Chicago Sky and WNBA
Chicago Sky news, scores and features, as well as coverage of the WNBA and women’s college basketball.
“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.
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.
The Aces and Liberty split four regular-season meetings this season and none was close. The average margin of victory was over 19 points, with the closest contest being only nine.
Weatherspoon, a former assistant with the NBA’s Pelicans, has been in talks with the Sky since at least August.
Of the Sky’s eight players competing overseas this year, four are playing in Turkey, two will be competing in Italy and two more in Spain. Kahleah Copper is undecided on competing overseas.
According to multiple sources, the Sky have spoken with Hall of Famer Teresa Weatherspoon regarding the coaching position.
“I know for sure the positions are going to be separate,” Kahleah Copper said during team exit meetings. “Which is great.”
The team has two of their starters, Courtney Williams and Alanna Smith, set to become free agents and four others hitting the market as reserved or restricted free agents.
Kahleah Copper finished with 25 points, 10 rebounds and three assists. A’ja Wilson broke the Aces’ record for points in a playoff game, previously held by coach Becky Hammon (35), with 38. She also had 16 rebounds and four blocks.
Guard trio of Copper, Mabrey and Williams needs to shoot better than they did in Game 1
“It was good,” Interim coach/general manager Emre Vatansever said. “We got a lot done and I saw some improvements in our game. We’ll see if we can apply this to on the court.”
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.
Their likely playoff exit isn’t an ending but the beginning of what’s about to come.
Marina Mabrey is signed to a three-year deal, one of James Wade’s final moves as general manager before departing for the NBA. Courtney Williams will be an unrestricted free agent in the new year, as will Alanna Smith.
Kahleah Copper finished with 15 points, Courtney Williams added nine points and 11 rebounds and Marina Mabrey was held to just seven points, shooting 3-for-11 from the field.
The Aces will look to complete the sweep at 2 p.m. Sunday.
“There are things to be set in place,” Copper said. “For me, a lot of things were up in the air and I understand y’all are figuring it out, but let’s just shake on the fact that you told me this is going to happen, this is going to happen and this is going to happen.”
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