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Chicago Sky
Chicago Sky logo
Conference Eastern
Leagues WNBA
Founded February 8, 2005; 20 years ago (2005-02-08)
History Chicago Sky
2006–present
Arena Wintrust Arena
Location Chicago, Illinois
Team colors Sky blue, radiant yellow, black, white
                   
Main sponsor Magellan Corporation
CEO Adam Fox
General manager Jeff Pagliocca
Head coach Tyler Marsh
Assistant(s) Courtney Paris
Tanisha Wright
Rena Wakama
Ownership Michael J. Alter
Nadia Rawlinson
Harvey Alter
John Rogers
Championships 1 (2021)
Conference titles 1 (2014)
Retired numbers 1 (14)
Kit body chicacosky heroine21.png
Heroine jersey
Kit shorts chicagosky heroine21.png
Team colours
Heroine
Kit body chicacosky explorer21.png
Explorer jersey
Kit shorts chicagosky explorer21.png
Team colours
Explorer
Kit body chicacosky rebel21.png
Rebel jersey
Team colours
Team colours
Rebel

The Chicago Sky is a professional basketball team from Chicago, USA. They play in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The Sky joined the league in 2006. They are part of the Eastern Conference.

The team had great success between 2013 and 2016. During this time, they reached the playoffs four times. They even played in the 2014 WNBA Finals. The Sky had another strong period from 2019 to 2022. They won their first championship in the 2021 WNBA Finals.

The Chicago Sky is owned by Michael J. Alter and Nadia Rawlinson. Unlike many WNBA teams, they are not connected to an NBA team. However, the Chicago Bulls also play basketball in Chicago.

Top - 0-9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Team History: How the Sky Began

Starting the Team (2005)

In February 2005, the WNBA announced a new team for Chicago. It was first called WNBA Chicago. On May 27, 2005, Dave Cowens, a former NBA player and coach, became the team's first coach. He was also the general manager. The team's home court was the UIC Pavilion.

The team's name and logo were revealed on September 20, 2005. This event happened at the Adler Planetarium. The team's president, Margaret Stender, explained the colors. Yellow and blue represent a "beautiful day in Chicago." They show the blue sky and bright sunlight over the city's skyline. Famous WNBA players like Diana Taurasi attended the event.

In November 2005, the team picked players in a special "expansion draft." This helped them build their first roster.

Early Years and Challenges (2006–2012)

In their first season in 2006, the Sky had a record of 5 wins and 29 losses. They finished last in their conference. After this, Coach Dave Cowens left. Bo Overton became the new coach and general manager.

In 2007, the team improved, winning 14 games. But they still missed the playoffs. Armintie Price was named the WNBA Rookie of the Year. In 2008, Overton resigned. Steven Key took over as coach and general manager.

Sylvia Fowles WNBA
Sylvia Fowles

The Sky picked Sylvia Fowles second overall in the 2008 draft. They still missed the playoffs that year. In 2009, they picked Kristi Toliver. The team got closer to the playoffs but just missed out.

For the 2010 season, the Sky moved to Allstate Arena. They drafted Epiphanny Prince. The team made some player changes. They finished with 14 wins and 20 losses, missing the playoffs again. Steven Key resigned. Pokey Chatman became the new coach and general manager.

In 2011, the Sky drafted Courtney Vandersloot. Sylvia Fowles was a star player. She averaged 20 points and 10.2 rebounds per game. Fowles was named Defensive Player of the Year. The team finished 14–20 for the second year in a row.

Before the 2012 season, the Sky added experienced players. They signed Ticha Penicheiro and Ruth Riley. They also traded for Swin Cash. The team started strong but injuries hurt their season. They finished 14–20 for the third straight year.

Reaching the Playoffs (2013–2016)

The 2013 season was a big change for the Sky. They drafted Elena Delle Donne second overall. Delle Donne quickly became a star. She led the team to a 24–10 record. This was their best record ever. They finished first in the Eastern Conference.

Delle Donne was named Rookie of the Year. Fowles won Defensive Player of the Year again. She also led the league in rebounds. The Sky made the playoffs for the first time. They lost to the Indiana Fever in the semifinals.

Courtney Vandersloot
Courtney Vandersloot

In 2014, the Sky had a 15–19 record. But they still made the playoffs. Allie Quigley, who grew up nearby, was named Sixth Woman of the Year. In the playoffs, they won two series. This led them to the 2014 WNBA Finals for the first time. They played against the Phoenix Mercury and lost in three games.

In 2015, the Sky added Cappie Pondexter. Elena Delle Donne was named the league's MVP. Courtney Vandersloot led the league in assists. Allie Quigley won Sixth Woman of the Year again. The team finished 21–13. But they lost to the Indiana Fever in the playoffs.

In 2016, the WNBA changed its playoff rules. The Sky finished 4th in the league. They returned to the playoffs. They lost to the Los Angeles Sparks in the semifinals.

Rebuilding the Team (2017–2018)

The Sky hired Amber Stocks as coach and general manager in December 2016. They traded Elena Delle Donne to the Washington Mystics. In return, they got Kahleah Copper, Stefanie Dolson, and a draft pick. In 2017, the Sky finished 12–22 and missed the playoffs. This was their first time missing them in five seasons.

Before the 2018 season, the Sky moved their home games to Wintrust Arena. They drafted Diamond DeShields and Gabby Williams. The team finished 13–21 and missed the playoffs again. Amber Stocks was replaced as coach and general manager. During these years, Courtney Vandersloot led the league in assists. Allie Quigley won the Three-Point Contest twice.

Championship Victory (2019–2022)

In November 2018, James Wade became the new coach and general manager. The 2019 season was a big improvement. The Sky finished with a 20–14 record. They made the playoffs as the fifth seed. Wade won Coach of the Year. Courtney Vandersloot set a new record for assists per game. Vandersloot, Quigley, and DeShields were all All-Stars. The Sky won their first playoff game. But they lost a close game to the Las Vegas Aces.

The 2020 season was shorter due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Sky played in a "bubble" in Florida. They had injuries and finished 12–10. They lost in the first round of the playoffs.

On February 1, 2021, the Sky signed Candace Parker. She was a two-time MVP. Parker grew up in Illinois and wanted to play for her hometown team. The 2021 season was full of ups and downs. They had a seven-game losing streak and a seven-game winning streak. They finished 16–16.

The Sky entered the playoffs as the 6th seed. They won two single-elimination games. Then they won their semifinals series. On October 17, 2021, the Sky won their first WNBA Championship! They beat the Phoenix Mercury 3–1 in the 2021 WNBA Finals. Kahleah Copper was named the Finals MVP. The Sky became the lowest-seeded team to win the championship.

In 2022, the team continued its success. They finished with a 26–10 record. They were the second seed in the playoffs. They won their first-round series. But they lost in the semifinals to the Connecticut Sun.

Changes and New Beginnings (2023–Present)

The 2023 season brought many changes for the Sky. Many key players left the team. These included Vandersloot, Quigley, and Parker. The team added new players like Marina Mabrey and Courtney Williams. Coach James Wade resigned in July. Emre Vatansever became the interim coach. The team finished 18–22 and lost in the first round of the playoffs.

In October 2023, Teresa Weatherspoon became the new head coach. Jeff Pagliocca became the new general manager. More players left the team. The Sky acquired high draft picks in the 2024 WNBA draft. They selected Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese. The 2024 season saw the Sky finish 13–27. They did not make the playoffs. After the season, Weatherspoon was replaced.

In November 2024, Tyler Marsh was named the new head coach. Courtney Vandersloot returned to the team. The Sky also traded for Ariel Atkins.

Team Look: Name, Logo, and Uniforms

Uniforms

  • 2006–2010: Home uniforms were white with light blue sides. Away uniforms were light blue with gold sides.
  • 2011–2012: Similar design, but with stripes on the sides. The team name and numbers were in gold.
  • 2013–2014: The font for numbers and names changed.
  • 2015: Magellan Corporation became the new jersey sponsor. Their logo was on the left shoulder.
  • 2016: The WNBA started all-color uniform games. The Sky added a gold uniform.
  • 2018: University of Chicago Medicine joined Magellan as a jersey sponsor.

Mascot

Skye the Lioness is the Chicago Sky's mascot. She was introduced on August 26, 2024. Skye replaced the team's old mascot, "Sky Guy." The idea for a lioness came from the famous lion statues at the Art Institute of Chicago.

Skye was designed by Tom Sapp and Real Characters Inc. They have created mascots for other sports teams. Skye's first game was on August 28, 2024. Sky Guy stayed with the team for the 2024 season to help Skye get started.

Team Records: Season by Season

Table key
AMVP All-Star Game Most Valuable Player
APP Assists Peak Performer
COY Coach of the Year
DPOY Defensive Player of the Year
FMVP Finals Most Valuable Player
MIP Most Improved Player
MVP Most Valuable Player
ROY Rookie of the Year
RPP Rebounding Peak Performer
SIX Sixth Woman of the Year
SPOR Sportsmanship Award
SPP Scoring Peak Performer
WNBA champions Conference champions Playoff berth
Season Team Conference standing (2006–16)

League standing (2016–present)

Regular season Playoff Results Awards Head coach
W L PCT
Chicago Sky
2006 2006 East 7th 5 29 .147 Dave Cowens
2007 2007 East 6th 14 20 .412 Bo Overton
2008 2008 East 5th 12 22 .353 Steven Key
2009 2009 East 5th 16 18 .471
2010 2010 East 6th 14 20 .412
2011 2011 East 5th 14 20 .412 Sylvia Fowles (DPOY) Pokey Chatman
2012 2012 East 5th 14 20 .412
2013 2013 East 1st 24 10 .706 Lost Conference Semifinals (Indiana, 0–2) Elena Delle Donne (ROY)
Sylvia Fowles (DPOY, RPP)
Swin Cash (SPOR)
2014 2014 East 4th 15 19 .441 Won Conference Semifinals (Atlanta, 2–1)
Won Conference Finals (Indiana, 2–1)
Lost WNBA Finals (Phoenix, 0–3)
Allie Quigley (SIX)
2015 2015 East 2nd 21 13 .618 Lost Conference Semifinals (Indiana, 1–2) Elena Delle Donne (MVP, SPP)
Allie Quigley (SIX)
C. Vandersloot (APP)
2016 2016 WNBA 4th 18 16 .529 Won Second Round (Atlanta, 1–0)
Lost WNBA Semifinals (Los Angeles, 1–3)
2017 2017 WNBA 9th 12 22 .353 C. Vandersloot (APP) Amber Stocks
2018 2018 WNBA 10th 13 21 .382 C. Vandersloot (APP)
2019 2019 WNBA 5th 20 14 .588 Won First Round (Phoenix, 1–0)
Lost Second Round (Las Vegas, 0–1)
James Wade (COY)
C. Vandersloot (APP)
James Wade
2020 2020 WNBA 6th 12 10 .545 Lost First Round (Connecticut, 0–1) C. Vandersloot (APP)
2021 2021 WNBA 6th 16 16 .500 Won First Round (Dallas, 1–0)
Won Second Round (Minnesota, 1–0)
Won Semifinals (Connecticut, 3–1)
Won WNBA Finals (Phoenix, 3–1)
C. Vandersloot (APP)
Kahleah Copper (Finals MVP)
2022 2022 WNBA 2nd 26 10 .722 Won First Round (New York, 2–1)
Lost Semifinals (Connecticut, 2–3)
James Wade (EOY)
2023 2023 WNBA 8th 18 22 .450 Lost First Round (Las Vegas, 0–2) James Wade(7–9)
Emre Vatansever(11–13)
2024 2024 WNBA 9th 13 27 .325 Teresa Weatherspoon
Regular season 296 346 .461 1 Conference Championships
Playoffs 20 22 .476 1 WNBA Championships

Players

Current Roster

Chicago Sky roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Nat. Name Height Weight DOB From Yrs
G 20 Belgium Allemand, Julie 5' 8" (1.73m) 147 lb (67kg) 07-07-1996 Belgium 1
G/F 2 United States Copper, Kahleah 6' 1" (1.85m) 165 lb (75kg) 08-28-1994 Rutgers 6
G 11 United States Evans, Dana 5' 6" (1.68m) 145 lb (66kg) 08-01-1998 Louisville 1
G 35 United States Gardner, Rebekah 6' 1" (1.85m) 130 lb (59kg) 07-09-1990 UCLA R
F 24 United States Hebard, Ruthy 6' 4" (1.93m) 190 lb (86kg) 04-28-1998 Oregon 2
F 33 Belgium Meesseman, Emma 6' 4" (1.93m) 191 lb (87kg) 05-13-1993 Belgium 7
F/C 3 United States Parker, Candace 6' 4" (1.93m) 184 lb (83kg) 04-19-1986 Tennessee 14
G 14 Hungary Quigley, Allie 5' 10" (1.78m) 142 lb (64kg) 06-20-1986 DePaul 13
F/C 30 United States Stevens, Azurá 6' 6" (1.98m) 180 lb (82kg) 02-01-1996 Connecticut 4
G 22 Hungary Vandersloot, Courtney 5' 8" (1.73m) 137 lb (62kg) 02-08-1989 Gonzaga 11
C 28 China Yueru, Li 6' 7" (2.01m) 200 lb (91kg) 03-28-1999 China R
Head coach
United States James Wade (Kennesaw State*)
Assistant coaches
United States Tonya Edwards (Tennessee)
Belgium Ann Wauters
Turkey Emre Vatansever
Athletic trainer
United States Meghan Lockerby
Strength and conditioning coach
United States Ann Crosby

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured Injured

  WNBA roster page
East
ATL
CHI
CON
IND
NY
WAS
West
DAL
LV
LA
MIN
PHO
SEA

Retired Numbers

The Chicago Sky has retired one jersey number to honor a special player.

Chicago Sky retired numbers
No. Player Position Tenure Ref.
14 Allie Quigley G 2013–2022

Famous Former Players

  • Cappie Pondexter (2015–2017)
  • Tamera Young (2009–2017)
  • Elena Delle Donne (2013–2016)
  • Candice Dupree (2006–2009)
  • Sylvia Fowles (2008–2014)
  • Jia Perkins (2006–2010)
  • Brooke Wyckoff (2006–2009)
  • Stefanie Dolson (2017–2021)
  • Allie Quigley (2013–2022)
  • Kahleah Copper (2017–2023)
  • Candace Parker (2021–2022)

Coaches and Staff

Owners

  • Michael J. Alter and Nadia Rawlinson (2023–present)

Head Coaches

Chicago Sky head coaches
Name Start End Seasons Regular season Playoffs
W L PCT G W L PCT G
Dave Cowens May 25, 2005 September 12, 2006 1 5 29 .147 34 0 0 .000 0
Bo Overton December 12, 2006 March 12, 2008 1 14 20 .412 34 0 0 .000 0
Steven Key March 12, 2008 September 10, 2010 3 42 60 .412 102 0 0 .000 0
Pokey Chatman October 29, 2010 October 28, 2016 6 106 98 .520 204 7 12 .368 19
Amber Stocks December 8, 2016 August 31, 2018 2 25 43 .368 68 0 0 .000 0
James Wade November 8, 2018 July 1, 2023 5 81 59 .579 139 13 8 .619 21
Emre Vatansever July 1, 2023 September 21, 2023 1 11 13 .458 24 0 2 .000 2
Teresa Weatherspoon October 12, 2023 September 26, 2024 1 13 27 .325 40 0 0 .000 0
Tyler Marsh November 3, 2024 Present 1 0 0 .000 0 0 0 .000 0

General Managers

  • Dave Cowens (2006)
  • Bo Overton (2007)
  • Steven Key (2008–2010)
  • Pokey Chatman (2011–2016)
  • Amber Stocks (2017–2018)
  • James Wade (2019–2023)
  • Emre Vatansever (2023)
  • Jeff Pagliocca (2024–present)

Assistant Coaches

  • Steven Key (2006–2007)
  • Roger Reding (2007)
  • Stephanie White (2007–2010)
  • Michael Mitchell (2008–2010)
  • Jeff House (2011–2012)
  • Christie Sides (2011–2016)
  • Tree Rollins (2013–2015)
  • Jonah Herscu (2016)
  • Carlene Mitchell (2017)
  • Awvee Storey (2017)
  • Carla Morrow (2018–2019)
  • Bridget Pettis (2019)
  • Olaf Lange (2020–2021)
  • Emre Vatansever (2020–2023)
  • Tonya Edwards (2021–2023)
  • Ann Wauters (2022–2023)
  • Yoann Cabioc'h (2023)
  • Crystal Robinson (2024)
  • Sydney Johnson (2024)
  • Tamera Young (2024)
  • Courtney Paris (2025–present)
  • Tanisha Wright (2025–present)
  • Rena Wakama (2025–present)

Team Statistics

Chicago Sky statistics
2000s
Season Individual Team vs Opponents
PPG RPG APG PPG RPG FG%
2006 C. Dupree (13.7) B. Ngoyisa (5.7) J. Perkins (3.2) 68.3 vs 79.0 30.5 vs 36.4 .394 vs .452
2007 C. Dupree (16.7) C. Dupree (7.7) D. Canty (4.1) 74.3 vs 76.8 34.3 vs 36.0 .406 vs .429
2008 J. Perkins (17.0) C. Dupree (7.9) D. Canty (4.1) 72.7 vs 73.8 33.1 vs 34.1 .428 vs .416
2009 C. Dupree (16.7) C. Dupree (7.9) D. Canty (3.2) 75.7 vs 79.2 31.9 vs 34.0 .435 vs .442
2010s
Season Individual Team vs Opponents
PPG RPG APG PPG RPG FG%
2010 S. Fowles (17.8) S. Fowles (9.9) D. Canty (3.4) 76.1 vs 76.8 31.7 vs 33.4 .437 vs .444
2011 S. Fowles (20.0) S. Fowles (10.2) C. Vandersloot (3.7) 74.2 vs 75.2 33.8 vs 32.6 .438 vs .418
2012 E. Prince (18.1) S. Fowles (10.4) C. Vandersloot (4.6) 75.2 vs 75.5 34.9 vs 30.1 .431 vs .429
2013 E. Delle Donne (18.1) S. Fowles (11.5) C. Vandersloot (5.6) 79.4 vs 73.6 37.1 vs 33.2 .420 vs .404
2014 E. Delle Donne (17.9) S. Fowles (10.2) C. Vandersloot (5.6) 76.2 vs 78.2 34.1 vs 35.6 .434 vs .420
2015 E. Delle Donne (23.4) E. Delle Donne (8.4) C. Vandersloot (5.8) 82.9 vs 78.8 36.6 vs 33.6 .446 vs .425
2016 E. Delle Donne (21.5) E. Delle Donne (7.0) C. Vandersloot (4.7) 86.2 vs 85.6 35.6 vs 32.9 .462 vs .436
2017 A. Quigley (16.4) J. Breland (6.3) C. Vandersloot (8.1) 82.1 vs 87.2 33.8 vs 36.5 .461 vs .435
2018 A. Quigley (15.4) Ch. Parker (5.8) C. Vandersloot (8.6) 83.8 vs 90.1 33.1 vs 36.5 .453 vs .462
2019 D. DeShields (16.2) J. Lavender (6.9) C. Vandersloot (9.1) 84.6 vs 83.3 36.4 vs 35.4 .448 vs .418
2020s
Season Individual Team vs Opponents
PPG RPG APG PPG RPG FG%
2020 A. Quigley (15.4) Ch. Parker (6.4) C. Vandersloot (10.0) 86.7 vs 84.1 33.6 vs 32.2 .491 vs .453
2021 K. Copper (14.4) Ca. Parker (8.4) C. Vandersloot (8.6) 83.3 vs 81.9 35.0 vs 35.9 .441 vs .433
2022 K. Copper (15.7) Ca. Parker (8.6) C. Vandersloot (6.5) 86.3 vs 81.3 34.8 vs 33.2 .481 vs .438
2023 K. Copper (18.7) A. Smith (6.6) C. Williams (6.3) 81.7 vs 83.4 33.6 vs 34.9 .442 vs .451
2024 C. Carter (17.5) A. Reese (13.1) M. Mabrey (4.5) 77.4 vs 82.5 36.6 vs 33.8 .422 vs .446

Media Coverage

Chicago Sky games are shown locally on The U. Lisa Byington and Stephen Bardo are the local broadcasters. Some games are also shown nationally on channels like ABC, ESPN, CBS, CBS Sports Network, Ion, or NBA TV.

The Sky used to have radio broadcasts on WVON-AM 1690. But they have not been on radio since 2008.

Home Arenas

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Chicago Sky para niños

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