How to tell if Sky are succeeding in 2026

For the Sky, success in 2026 is unlikely to come in the form of a WNBA championship. That will require more star power and roster continuity, especially as the league continues to expand and modernize. In the meantime, the Sky can still take pride in — and be judged by — the intermediate steps required to join the championship conversation.

For fans wondering whether the Sky are truly on the right track, there are a few clear benchmarks to watch in 2026.

Benchmark for success No. 1: The Sky add a playmaker or two.

And no — franchise great Courtney Vandersloot returning from an ACL injury will not be enough. They’ll need far more than that to escape the misery they faced last season.

The Sky’s offensive woes reflected their lack of playmaking. They had shooters spotting up in the corners and talented bigs down low, but no one capable of drawing the defense and shaking it all loose.

Many of their signings last free-agency period — Kia Nurse, Rebecca Allen — were shooters who can space the floor within an existing system. The problem is the Sky don’t really have a system yet.

They know what they’re missing, and there’s a reason they ended up with more plug-and-play role players than true playmakers last offseason. Playmakers are scarce, and the best ones have options. Why would a dynamic guard like Jackie Young come to Chicago when she could extend a dynasty in Las Vegas? Why would perennial All-Star Kahleah Copper return when she could stay in Phoenix and chase redemption after a Finals sweep?

That’s the million-dollar question the Sky need a real answer to.

Benchmark for success No. 2: They can clearly articulate an answer to “Why Chicago?”

The Sky have let a wave of league-wide change pass them by without defining an edge or a clear identity.

A new class of owners surged ahead with aggressive, forward-thinking investments. The dynastic Aces were the first to open a dedicated practice facility in 2023. The Mercury were early adopters of an all-female analytics department, among other innovations. The 2024 champion Liberty raised the bar with elite international scouting.

The Sky don’t need to master every category. Few teams do. But they do need to be clearer about who they are, and why a great player should choose Chicago.

Internally, the front office believes the city itself is now one of its biggest selling points. For years the Sky squandered it by practicing and housing players in the suburbs. The team’s new practice facility, opening in 2026 and located closer to downtown, will change that. For the first time, they can fully sell “Summertime Chi” to the league’s top talent.

While the new facility is an important step forward, it won’t be a durable edge. It’s still modest compared to the massive projects underway in New York, Indiana and Portland. And those franchises won’t stop at facilities. They’ll keep investing in new advantages.

That leaves the Sky at a fork in the road.

If they want to compete directly in a billionaire-owned league, they may need to raise more capital — or even consider selling the team outright. Their last capital raise came in 2023, when they added investors including Laura Ricketts and a former Foot Locker CEO, but much of that has already been spent.

Or they could choose a different approach altogether. Instead of selling modernity, they could lean into a more old-school identity. Do real hoopers need the flashiest building? Does every new piece of technology actually show up in the win column? Basketball is about toughness and heart, the Sky might argue, though the playmakers in the room may not be so convinced.

Whatever identity the Sky choose, it has to be coherent — from their marketing to roster construction. Outsiders have struggled to see what they Sky are all about.

Benchmark for success No. 3: They’re playing much better defense

Offense usually dominates style-of-play conversations around the league. Teams are scoring more, playing faster and shooting more 3s. “Everything is up,” Aces coach Becky Hammon said last year of offensive numbers. Sky coach Tyler Marsh, who spent time on Hammon’s staff, is right to want the Sky keeping pace.

But there’s just as much innovation happening on the defensive side of the ball, and the Sky showed no signs of adapting.

That’s not sustainable in a league where defense is increasingly the separator. Defense is why the Valkyries and Mercury outperformed expectations last season. It’s how the defending-champion Aces climbed out of a midseason slump.

Hopefully the Sky were taking notes, as last season offered multiple models for how to build a defensive backbone.

The Valkyries did it by collecting like-minded, overlooked players and pairing them with a hard-nosed coach. The Mercury went the star route, trading for one of the league’s best defenders in Alyssa Thomas to complement a roster that already featured Copper.

The Sky do have two legitimate defensive building blocks under contract. Forward Angel Reese has great instincts and played her way into the All-Defense conversation last season. Center Kamilla Cardoso struggled defensively at times her sophomore season, but showed steady improvement. If she can stay disciplined, she has the tools to become a true force protecting the rim.

The Sky also have more brain power on the bench. With the addition of assistant coach Latricia Trammell, the Sky now have two former head coaches on staff with defensive pedigrees — Tanisha Wright, formerly of the Dream, and Trammell, formerly of the Wings. It’s on them to get creative and help turn the Sky defense around.