At one point in the last decade, the Sky had a starting lineup that featured Elena Delle Donne, Sylvia Fowles, Swin Cash, Epiphanny Prince and Courtney Vandersloot. Yet they are one of six teams that never have won a WNBA title.
The Sky came close in 2014, but the Mercury swept them in the WNBA Finals. That has been the pinnacle of the Sky to date. They declined in the next two years, as their two biggest stars asked for trades and they eventually fired general manager and coach Pokey Chatman.
After rebuilding seasons in 2017 and 2018, general manager and coach James Wade re-energized the franchise in 2019. And the team seems to be on a positive trajectory.
With that in mind, here’s a look at five of the biggest moments that defined the Sky in the last decade:
1. Elena Delle Donne Era
After the Sky drafted Delle Donne second overall in 2013, she had a transformative effect. The 6-5 star helped the Sky to four consecutive playoff appearances, including a berth in the WNBA Finals in 2014.
Though her bouts with Lyme disease and several injuries sidelined her at times, Delle Donne blossomed into one of the best players in the game and was voted MVP in 2015.
Chicago loved Delle Donne, and it seemed the feeling was mutual. She named her dog Wrigley and met her wife here.
But things turned sour in 2016 for a number of reasons. But things turned sour in 2016 for a number of reasons. And the Sky ultimately obliged to Delle Donne’s trade request, dealing her to the Mystics before the 2017 season for center Stefanie Dolson, guard Kahleah Copper and a first-round draft pick.
The Sky never fully recovered from losing Delle Donne. And in the last three seasons, Delle Donne — the reigning MVP and now a WNBA champion — has haunted the Sky. It wasn’t until this season that the Sky finally beat their former teammate.
2. Big Syl wants out
Delle Donne wasn’t the first Sky player who went on to win a title (or two) with another franchise after forcing a trade.
Fowles had been a cornerstone of the Sky since they drafted her second overall in 2008. But after the Mercury swept the Sky in the WNBA Finals in 2014, Fowles wanted out.
She demanded a trade to the Lynx and sat out half the 2015 season until the deal was finalized.
Fowles went on to help the Lynx win the WNBA Finals in 2015 and 2017.
Fowles’ exit, along with several other key departures, led to Delle Donne’s displeasure with the Sky.
3. Pokey takes chance on local product Quigley
Guard Allie Quigley, a Joliet native, spent the first several seasons of her WNBA career bouncing among teams. So when Chatman invited Quigley to the Sky’s training camp before the 2013 season, the DePaul graduate didn’t know what to think. The Sky would be her fifth team in six years.
Chatman gave Quigley an opportunity to be a role player off the bench, and she ran with it. In 2014 and 2015, she was named the WNBA’s Sixth Woman of the Year.
After Chatman was fired in 2016, new coach Amber Stocks made Quigley a starter. She has kept the role since and has earned three All-Star selections along the way. At 33, she has become a stalwart of the team.
4. Drafting DeShields
In need of a new franchise player after Delle Donne’s exit, the Sky drafted speedy forward Diamond DeShields. She dazzled in her first season and rose to the occasion even more in her second.
In 2019, DeShields played an integral part in the Sky’s success. She led the team in scoring with 16.2 points and also averaged 5.5 rebounds and 1.2 steals.
DeShields, a 2019 All-Star, is bound to get better in the coming years as she learns to maximize her athleticism. She’s the best bet to represent the Sky on Team USA at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.
5. Brand-new everything
With Chatman and Delle Donne gone, the Sky embarked on a new era. Before the 2018 season, the team moved from Allstate Arena in Rosemont to Wintrust Arena on the Near South Side. The next season, the Sky rebranded with a new logo and marketing campaign.
The Sky also fired Stocks after two unsuccessful seasons and hired Wade, who set the bar high for future seasons after revitalizing the players and fans in 2019.
