It has been quite a season for the Chicago Sky. And, after Thursday night’s surprise firing of head coach Teresa Weatherspoon, it looks like it will be quite the offseason.
The Sky scratched and clawed their way through a treacherous season, culminating in being eliminated from playoff contention with a 13-27 record, and doing so in the glare of the national spotlight—unlike anything seen in franchise history. The drafting of Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso catapulted the team to new heights as the league as whole experienced a surge in viewership and interest.
During exit interviews, the now-dismissed Weatherspoon, one of the first class of WNBA players, told Swish Appeal that she took great pride in the fact that two of her players helped generate such popularity:
Always great to be a part of something like this. It’s always great to be a part of anything when you talk about the W. And I say that respectfully. It’s a great thing to be a part of. But when you’re part of two young people who’re growing in this game, and you know that they’re going to be great at what they do, it’s huge.
But like we were talking, it’s about, you know, also studying those things as well as how I can make it better for them as they continue to grow in this league. That’s the most important piece for me, as their coach, is not to be happy just to coach them and see their greatness. But how do I pull that greatness out all the time? So it’s a lot that has to come from me as well as I’m working. As I’m getting better to make sure I step in to help them to be better.
On social media, Reese expressed that she was “heartbroken” upon learning of Weatherspoon’s firing, elaborating on the support and understanding Weatherspoon offered during her high-profile rookie season.
I’m heartbroken. I’m literally lost for words knowing what this woman meant to me in such a pivotal point in my life. She was the only person that believed in me. The one that trusted me. Many don’t even know what it’s like to be a black women in sports when nobody believes in…
— Angel Reese (@Reese10Angel) September 27, 2024
The increased visibility that shined a light on a team in the midst of a rebuilding season will become a glare of scrutiny this offseason. A combination of youthful energy and veteran talent left the Sky still searching for an identity. Now, the search for an identity will be accompanied by a search for a new coach.
What went right for the Sky?
There were promising performances from key talent.
Angel Reese set records in the areas of rebounding and double-doubles. Chennedy Carter went from a bench player to the starting guard who provided a burst of excitement with her quickness, leadership and playmaking. Lindsay Allen took command of the position of starting point guard; she could score when needed, dish out assists and was smooth in transition. Michaela Onyenwere found herself in the starting rotation after riding the bench during the first half of the season and put up some double-digit scoring performances.
What went wrong for Chicago?
Nevertheless, injuries and a thin bench hurt the Sky’s chances.
Starting veteran center Elizabeth Williams was out for the season in June, needing to undergo surgery for a torn meniscus. Reese suffered a wrist injury towards the end of the season. Cardoso battled a shoulder injury at the beginning of the year before sustaining the same injury at the end. Carter battled illness on and off during much of August. Diamond DeShields sustained an ankle injury down the stretch of the season.
Despite some contributions from Dana Evans, Isabelle Harrison, Brianna Turner and DeShields, the Sky were left with very low numbers. The trading of Marina Mabry to Connecticut for Moriah Jefferson and Rachel Banham impacted the Sky’s perimeter game, which remains a work in progress.
What’s next for the Sky?
First up, for the second-straight offseason, the Sky must hire a new head coach. Last offseason, general manager Jeff Pagliocca was hired a few weeks after the organization celebrated bringing Weatherspoon to the sidelines of the Windy City. Her dismissal suggests he has a different vision for the team.
In regard to the roster, the Sky have budding talent amongst their big name rookies, along with veteran experience. But going forward, they need to take advantage of key areas. They already have Reese, Cardoso, Williams, Banham, Jefferson and Allen under contract. They have over $920,000 in cap space available and could use that to lock up the services of a handful of quality players. They will look to use some portion of that money to re-sign Carter, Evans and Onyenwere, who are restricted free agents. There have been rumors of Evans wanting to leave after she lost her starting guard position, which she has denied. Then, there is the possibility of re-signing Harrison, Turner and DeShields, who are unrestricted free agents.
Because much of the league’s top talent will look to sign one-year deals due to the impending expiration of the current CBA, the Sky will have little chance to snatch up seasoned talent. Therefore, they will likely have to rely on securing young, burgeoning talent, either in the draft or free agency, to build a core around the likes of Reese and Cardoso. In addition, they could also look for players whose talent was largely overlooked, much as was the case with Carter.
The biggest thing for them is getting shooters. They have long been a team that emphasizes points in the paint, but Williams, Reese and Cardoso can only do so much, especially since Reese and Cardoso don’t have much scoring range at this point. If they can get scorers to round things out or work with Reese and Cardoso to expand their range, they can begin to develop a more potent offense.
It will likely be another offseason of rebuilding and development for the Sky.