What to watch for as Sky start new WNBA season in Florida
While the WNBA is coming off one of the most dramatic and exciting offseasons in league history — several stars switched teams via free agency, and No. 1 draft pick Sabrina Ionescu is being hyped as the next big thing — the Chicago Sky are bringing back much of their core from last season.
That group, featuring Courtney Vandersloot, Diamond DeShields, Stefanie Dolson and Allie Quigley, gives the Sky continuity after their first 20-win season since 2015. And they return with increased expectations after coming within a miracle half-court shot of advancing to the WNBA semifinals last season.
“The Chicago Sky is not here on vacation,” DeShields said during a video conference call last week. “We came here to play basketball. We came here to compete for a championship.”
“Here” is inside the WNBA’s bubble — aka the wubble — at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., where the Sky will kick off a pandemic-abbreviated 22-game schedule Sunday afternoon against the Las Vegas Aces, the team that ended their season a year ago.
“We’re sprinting a marathon,” coach James Wade said Wednesday. “I want them to always have a sense of urgency, and that’s what I’m trying to put into their mindset. We have to get this done now.”
Here’s a quick refresher to get you ready for the start of the WNBA season.
How did last season end?
The Sky finished 20-14 in 2019, good for third place in the Eastern Conference and the No. 5 seed in the eight-team playoffs. They knocked off the Phoenix Mercury in the single-elimination first round.
Against the Aces in the second round — also a one-game playoff
— the Sky held a two-point lead in the closing seconds, but Dearica Hamby stole a pass, took a dribble over half-court near the sideline and nailed a miracle 3-pointer with 5 seconds left, giving the Aces a 93-92 victory and ending the Sky’s season.
Despite the heartbreak, the Sky took a huge step forward and established themselves among the better teams in the league. DeShields, who averaged a teamleading 16.2 points in the regular season, got her first taste of playoff action and upped her game, averaging 24 points, five rebounds and two assists. The Sky are keeping most of that team intact and hoping their familiarity will be an edge over the rest of the league also adjusting to the most bizarre season in WNBA history.
“I think it’s a huge advantage,” Dolson said. “We know how to play together. We know what kind of pace to set, what intensity to play at, and it’s a huge chance for us to kind of rub off on our other teammates so when we’re in games against younger teams with less experience we can (have an advantage).”
Roster changes
The Sky have their top five leading scorers back from last season but also made a few additions, signing Azura Stevens and Sydney Colson and drafting Ruthy Hebard.
Stevens, selected by the Dallas Wings with the sixth pick in the 2018 draft,made the All-Rookie team after averaging 8.9 points, but a right foot injury cut her second season short.
Colson was one of the Aces’ defensive pests who forced the turnover that led to the buzzerbeating shot in last year’s playoff game.But she tested positive for the coronavirus, and the Sky added Stella Johnson to take her place.
Hebard is expected to become a part of the rotation right away after running the pick and roll with Ionsecu at Oregon.
The Sky have two losses in the frontcourt that could test their depth. Forward Jantel Lavendar will miss the season after undergoing left foot surgery, and the team traded Astou Ndour, who averaged 10.7 points and 7.1 rebounds, to the Wings.
How are things going inside the wubble?
So far, so good.
The WNBA’s controlled site got off to a rocky beginning upon arrival, with players posting pictures on social media of poor living conditions — including rodent traps, worms and bed bugs — but the league appears to have responded swiftly to fix those issues. It also did not appear to represent majority of the league. The Sky did not voice many complaints about their accommodations and have settled into their strange new world. The team has enjoyed biking around the complex, engaging in card games and having taco nights in their villas, joking about a lizard removal service and making TikTok videos.
And so far, the bubble environment appears to be succeeding as intended. Despite Florida coronavirus cases spiking recently,, the WNBA said ithas not had a positive test since the initial quarantine period. Sky players are tested daily and have their temperature taken before entering facilities. They said they feel safe. After so much skepticism entering the process, it’s an encouraging sign.
Where do the Sky stand with COVID-19?
Since arriving in Florida, the Sky have not announced that any players or staff members have tested positive.
Colson still has not joined the team after testing positive in June. She has been quarantining at her home in Houston since then, and Wade did not give a timeline for her return. Before she can rejoin the team she must be symptomfree for three days and record two negative tests.
Before traveling to Florida, the Sky lost assistant coach Bridget Pettis, who resigned after questioning the league’s ability to pull off the season safely.
How will the Sky continue the conversation around the Black Lives Matter movement?
The players, with support from the WNBA, have long been at the forefront among pro sports leagues in the fight for racial justice and equality. They will continue to push those issues to the center of the conversation during theseason.
The entire Sky team will wear “Breonna Taylor” on the backs of their jerseys. Colson, who has been among the league’s most active players on social media, was named to the WNBA’s Social Justice Council, designed to continue the conversation and movement for racial justice. The Sky also have pledged to create initiatives to help raise money for Chicago communities.
“We know what we’re playing this season for,” Wade said. “I want them to be engaged in both of those efforts (a championship and racial justice). That needs to be spoken on a lot as far as where they are off the floor. It’s going to bring them together because we have a cause. We have a cause as a group, we have a cause as a league, and that’s something that needs to be talked about. And Breonna Taylor is just one example of that. We’ll be engaged, but we’ll be engaged on multiple fronts.”