Sky offseason notebook: Cardoso back to China, Banham and Van Lith eye Unrivaled

A turbulent season has ended, and the Sky’s heavy hitters — Angel Reese, Courtney Vandersloot and Ariel Atkins — still have to give their exit interviews. But other key players spoke on Friday. Here’s what we learned about where they’re headed this winter and whether they see themselves back in Chicago:

Kamilla Cardoso (Center | Under contract)

Cardoso began showing why the Sky drafted her third overall, becoming a force in the low post. She improved her efficiency on higher shot volume and finished as the league’s fifth-best rebounder.

“We had some hard conversations with my teammates and coaches about how they needed more from me,” she said. “I came back [from the All-Star break] with a different mentality.”

This offseason Cardoso will return to the WCBA in China, where she’s the reigning International Player of the Year. She’s under contract with the Sky for two more years and will be a centerpiece the team builds around. The next step in her game, she said, is gaining confidence on the perimeter — shooting more jumpers and attacking the rim.

Rachel Banham (Shooting guard | Free agent)

Banham shouldered more than most expected this season. She was the team’s best three-point shooter (36% on 5.5 attempts per game) and also took over ball-handling duties after the team’s point guards went down.

“Coming to Chicago brought a lot of opportunities for me,” Banham said. “I’ve gotten to play so much more, and that’s what any player wants. I feel like [head coach Tyler Marsh] gave me that opportunity to just be me.”

Banham said she would definitely consider returning to the Sky. Given her role in the locker room and the trust Marsh and general manager Jeff Pagliocca showed in her, the feeling is probably mutual.

This offseason, she said she’s been “talking to” Unrivaled. The 3×3 league in Miami became a winter hub for players to recruit free agents to their WNBA teams.

Banham said her pitch to free agents about the Sky would highlight the honesty and transparency of Marsh and Pagliocca. She’d also point to how good the Sky looked when fully healthy, beating contenders like the Lynx and Liberty.

Elizabeth Williams (Center | Free agent)

Williams helped anchor the defense off the bench and filled in as a starter when Reese and Cardoso were out. Now the Sky’s longest-tenured member, she said she’s “always interested” in returning and wouldn’t close any doors.

“I’m not gonna say I’m not coming back,” Williams said.

Williams will play overseas in Turkey this offseason, where she previously won a league title in 2022.

As secretary of the players’ union, she will also be busy with CBA negotiations. Players are seeking higher salaries, among other changes. The current deadline is the end of October, though it’s expected to be pushed back. The last CBA in 2020 was finalized in January.

Hailey Van Lith (Combo guard | Under contract)

The Sky’s No. 11 pick never found her footing as a rookie, slowed by an ankle injury. She missed 15 games and averaged 3.5 points in 12 minutes. She was also missing the mentor she expected to have in Vandersloot, who tore her ACL early in the season.

“I’ve been realizing sometimes it takes a couple years,” Van Lith said. “Whatever my journey is going to be is what it’s going to be. I’m going to fight for it to be as soon as possible.”

Her ankle pain had been lingering since college, so she wasn’t able to get healthy while playing on it.

“The biggest thing for me outside of getting healthy is figuring out what state my body needs to be in to play at the level I need to play to be successful in the WNBA,” she said of the offseason.

This offseason, Van Lith will play in Unrivaled while focusing on her health. She’s expected back with the Sky for Year 2.