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The Chicago Sky are do not want to rely on luck to return for a team that can contend for a WNBA Title.
During their Media Day on Monday, the Sky explained they are ready to put their rebuild to the test.
“We brought in a number of three-point shooters. We brought in a number of new vets. We brought in a Hall of Fame point guard,” said Sky General Manager Jeff Pagliocca. “There was improvements that needed to be made.”
Three tune-up games and a competitive training camp have also given new head coach Tyler Marsh a snapshot of the Sky’s identity. But the goal will be establishing one around the team’s stars in games that count.
Angel Reese is headed into year two, noticing camaraderie being built — while being surrounded by more veterans.
“Now I know what to expect. I know what the standard is,” said Reese. “Obviously last year, I didn’t know what the standard was, and now moving forward, like, there’s a standard set.”
Meanwhile, Courtney Vandersloot, the veteran point guard who won a championship with the Sky in 2021, is back — and in a role as an elder stateswoman.
“It’s really hard to win in any league, but in the WNBA especially, and to do that, you have to sacrifice. It’s going to look different every single night. We need everybody to be at their best,” Vandersloot said. “So however that looks for each player individually on a night-to-night basis, people got to be willing to do it and put egos aside, and know whatever it takes.
As for, top draft pick Hailey Van Lith, she is ready, willing, and able to contribute any way she can.
“I’m super-excited for the possibility that I could play, you know, at the end of the week, and I think that for me, it’s important to just take it one day at a time,” Van Lith said. “As a rookie, there’s a lot coming at you, and it can be easy to get overwhelmed, so I like to prioritize one intention that I’m going to get better at every day.”
While the team is focused on taking things one game at a time, postseason expectations exist. Reese said, “I want to get to the playoffs, and I want to get there bad.”
Road there starts on the road, when Sky open season Saturday against Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever.
