The Sky will open training camp Sunday with a 14-player roster.
Only two of those names are on the team’s 2021 WNBA championship banner: guard Dana Evans and forward Diamond DeShields. In the two-plus years since the Sky’s title, the franchise has undergone a complete overhaul.
Franchise stars left in free agency, coach/general manager James Wade took a job in the NBA last year at midseason, then guard Kahleah Copper — the face of the Sky — asked to be traded. The team’s official rebuild starts with this camp, and new coach Teresa Weatherspoon is leading the charge.
Weatherspoon finalized her coaching staff on draft night with the addition of former Sky forward Tamera Young as an assistant. Young joins Sydney Johnson and Crystal Robinson in the role. Their first task will be to establish a team culture and identity.
Guard Marina Mabrey is the only Sky player signed to a protected contract through the 2025 season. It’s expected that draft picks Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese will sign their rookie-scale contracts, which would extend through the 2026 season with a team option for 2027.
This will create an interesting dynamic for training camp and as the season progresses.
Much of the Sky’s roster is made up of veterans in a contract year. Isabelle Harrison, Brianna Turner, Elizabeth Williams and DeShields are set to become unrestricted free agents in January. Michaela Onyenwere and Evans will be restricted free agents in the new year.
What makes this interesting is that Cardoso’s and Reese’s development will depend on playing time, and they’ll be competing for it with players such as Harrison, Turner and Williams. Weatherspoon has indicated since her introductory news conference that no promises will be made to any players. Everything will be earned, she said.
Beyond the expected frontcourt competition among Cardoso, Reese and the veterans is the battle for the Sky’s two available roster spots. General manager Jeff Pagliocca signed forward Taya Reimer and guards Kysre Gondrezick and Chennedy Carter to training-camp contracts. Rookie Brynna Maxwell will be competing with them to be one of the Sky’s final 12 players.
DeShields and guard Lindsay Allen are also on unprotected contracts, which means — although unlikely — they could be cut without a hit to the Sky’s salary cap. Pagliocca will have to get the Sky’s roster down to 12 by May 13.
When taking a look at the Sky’s roster construction, it seems likely they will opt to sign two guards. Pagliocca spoke highly of Maxwell, saying the Sky considered her to be the best college shooter in the country. Couple that with her aggressive mentality heading into camp and the Sky’s lack of shooting, and Maxwell has a good chance to be one of them. That would signal that the team’s final spot will come down to Gondrezick or Carter.
When it comes to competition at point guard, it seems likely that Evans will be tapped to lead the Sky’s offense. She got limited minutes in her first two seasons playing behind Courtney Vandersloot before Wade signed Courtney Williams last year. Williams ended up shifting from an off-ball guard to the starting point guard.
Now it appears Evans finally will have a chance to prove she’s a starter in the WNBA.
‘‘This is a group that’s been counted out,’’ Weatherspoon said in February. ‘‘There is no better place to be than to be counted out.’’
The Sky finalized their support staff Saturday by announcing five hires. Ashley Frazier will be their director of player development, and David Simon returned as player-development coach. Chantal Hart and Matt Repa will be their athletic trainers, and Can Ozbalkan returned as video coordinator.
