Annie Costabile
Chicago Sky + Red Stars reporter
Annie Costabile covers the Chicago Sky and Red Stars for the Chicago Sun-Times.
The game, originally slated for Saturday in Minneapolis, was moved to Friday to accommodate a possible Game 7 between the Timberwolves and Suns. That, however, had nothing to do with the nonexistent broadcast or streaming options.
The Red Stars already have sold more than 16,000 tickets, with Wrigley expected to hold about 37,000 after necessary adjustments to turn it from a baseball field to a soccer pitch.
The ending wasn’t perfect. A nagging foot injury requiring another surgery may have forced Candace Parker’s retirement. Regardless, it was time, and she did it her way — as she always has.
After three seasons in a backup role, the longest-tenured Sky player is ready to step up and lead the team into a new era.
Less than a month ago, both rookies were competing in the NCAA Tournament. Cardoso’s run extended all the way to a title. The immediate turnaround to the draft and now training camp is a unique experience in the women’s game.
“A great deal of energy in here,” Weatherspoon said. “When you have that, as a coach, you feel the buy-in is there. That’s what you want. That was important for us to gain a little bit of chemistry and continuity.”
“I promised I’d never cheat the game,” Parker wrote on Instagram. “And that I’d leave it in a better place than I came into it.”
The Sky open training camp with a 14-player roster that will need to be trimmed to 12 by May 13.
After spending two seasons outside of Chicago, DeShields is back on a one-year deal with the franchise that drafted her third overall in 2018.