They say sky is the limit. Well, Chicago Sky has NO limit. If you’ve seen them play in the 2020 WNBA season, you know what I’m talking about. So what, there were some bumps and bruises on the way, yet this team is harmonious and has so much energy, that if they keep the dynamics, there are great things awaiting them.
Started off with a very close win over Las Vegas Aces 88-86 (you should see Quigley’s game-winning 3-pointer if you haven’t already, I mean it!), went on to grab what seemed to be an easy victory over Los Angeles Sparks 96-78, then got a little hiccup losing to Minnesota Lynx 81-83. But that’s when I noticed ‘perhaps they like the thrill of one-ball-possession games’ and their next win over Washington Mystics (88-86) and Dallas Wings (82-79) kind of proved that. They came short against Phoenix Mercury (86-96) but bounced right back by winning with Connecticut Sun (100-93).
I mean, look at that team! Organic, versatile and healthy. They are currently the best team in the whole league in points per game, assists per game, field goals percentage and three pointers made. When you watch their games, you know it’s splash time!
Let’s quickly analyze the squad to understand why this team is so solid.
First off, we have the Magellan Player of Week 1 – Kahleah Copper. She’s skilled, she’s athletic, she’s fast. The overseas season in Poland definitely boosted her confidence and allowed her to elevate the on-court skills. She played for my local team and believe me, as soon as she gets the ball, she will go 100% and get those buckets. She averages 15 points per game this WNBA season compared to 6.7 last year – way to go, KC!
Then we have Azurá Stevens whose growth from the last 2 seasons has been tremendous. She recovered from a foot injury and finally has a chance to fully show her skills this season. Stevens has taken a spot in the starting five and has been ruling under the basket getting lots of rebounds (average 6 per game) but also taking advantage of her height to block shots (average 1.7 per game).
When it comes to rebounds, you can’t forget about Cheyenne Parker. She’s been very present under the basket (average 6.3 rebounds per game) and you can see her strength and confidence when she plays. Not to mention her average points rose from 8.8 per game in 2019 to 13.9 currently, which is a promising result.
Sydney Colson, who joined her new team a bit later due to quarantine, has only played 3 games so far but seems to be settling in. I’m really excited to see what she will bring to the team going forward.
Let’s now talk about the power couple – Allie Quigley and Courtney Vandersloot. I just love watching them together (throwback to that Las Vegas game, again) you can see they know each other well, hence can execute great plays perfectly. Quigley is an amazing shooter that can’t be left undefended as, trust me, she will score. Vandersloot is currently Top 1 in the league in the number of assists for this season and she recently surpassed Becky Hammon and took the 5th place in an all-time number of assists. She is a very unselfish player sharing the ball and feeding it to her teammates in just the right moments. Without a doubt, these two have the experience and maturity, that carries the Sky in stressful, close games.
Gradually but confidently getting her shine back, the 2019 WNBA All-Star Diamond DeShields has been experiencing some trouble with her knee but nonetheless, I’m still happy she’s getting quite a lot of minutes on the court. We’ve already seen a strong comeback from her during the game with Connecticut Sun where she scored 12 points, 3 rebounds and 1 steal in just 18 minutes. Diamond is a young and talented athlete that can definitely get buckets, so this season, despite being a bit slower, should be exciting for her.
Last but not least, Gabby Williams who has been another piece to the Chicago Sky success. She’s been averaging almost twice as many points per game– 9.9 points compared to 5.6 last year. Williams steps on the court to get things done and I like the passion and confidence she plays with.
There’s also Stefanie Dolson who has sadly been out because of an ankle injury and the rookie Ruthy Hebard that is yet to get some more minutes of play. Hopefully, we will see them in action soon.
Chicago Sky is currently on a 5-2 run and is definitely going to do some serious damage this season. I would like to see them make an appearance in the playoffs but let’s just patiently wait and see what happens next. Good luck!
