As Saturday’s season opener against Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever looms, the Chicago Sky are on a mission to return to contention in the WNBA sooner rather than later.
The Sky finished the preseason 2-1, dominating the Brazilian national team and splitting two games against the Minnesota Lynx. The team’s style of play is night and day compared with last season and should be something fans can look forward to as the season tips off.
General manager Jeff Pagliocca, coach Tyler Marsh and multiple players addressed reporters Monday during media day at Intentional Sports on the West Side. Here are four things we learned.
1. Angel Reese has expanded her skill set.
Marsh has implemented an entirely new system in his first season with the Sky, bringing in shooters and giving them the green light to let it fly.
“It’s been great to see the number of shots from the outside,” Marsh said. “It isn’t about launching a bunch of 3s. It’s about creating space for us.”
With that space, there should be increased playmaking opportunities for guards such as Courtney Vandersloot and Kia Nurse. And you can add Reese to the list.
In this offense, Reese has found herself spread across the floor, playing a point forward role. She will be paired with Kamilla Cardoso as the main rebounders while also passing from the post to open shooters, all while keeping up with the increased pace. In the preseason finale, Reese had five assists to go with nine points and eight rebounds.
The second-year star will have plenty on her shoulders, but she said she’s getting comfortable with the places Marsh will have her on the court.
“(Marsh) has been open and transparent with me,” Reese said. “It’s been an adjustment from last year.”
Reese’s widened range has given her increased confidence down low. She had some nifty plays in the post during the preseason, a welcome sight for Marsh’s plans.
“We don’t want Angel Reese to be just a rebounder because she’s so much more than that,” Marsh said. “The rebounding will always be there.”
2. Kamilla Cardoso is feeling more confident.
Cardoso struggled as a rookie with shot selection and strength in the post. If the preseason is a good indicator, she has filled these holes in her game.
In the two games against the Lynx, Cardoso scored 23 points on 9-of-14 shooting. She was decisive going up with her shots, which will give defenses more to worry about as the Sky offense expands.
“(I need to) be more aggressive,” Cardoso said. “We know what we can do (down low).”
Post play will be just a part of the Sky’s identity this season rather than the entirety of it. With shooters on the outside, the paint should open for Cardoso to get better looks. Her teammates know how strong she can be; it’s about using that strength.
“The only person that can stop Kamilla is Kamilla.” guard Moriah Jefferson said.
3. Training the next generation, from home and on the court.
Rookie guard Hailey Van Lith had a welcome-to-the-W moment against the Lynx. She struggled to create separation from defenders, leading to a scoreless first half. She made an impact in other ways, finding open shooters and playing strong defense.
“I think she’s proven that she can struggle and still come back and be productive,” Pagliocca said. “She’s had a number of challenging moments already, and she’s still able to make plays for us.”
After leading three schools — Louisville, LSU and TCU — to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament, it can be an adjustment being a rookie placed in a learning position. Veteran guard Courtney Vandersloot has made the transition easier for Van Lith.
“If I could pick any vet to play with in my first year, it would be Sloot,” Van Lith said. “And that’s for a multitude of reasons.”
Vandersloot has offered praise at every opportunity for Van Lith. She said she admires the rookie’s grit, desire to win and willingness to learn.
Van Lith won’t be the only person under Vandersloot’s wing this season. The guard and her wife, former Sky star Allie Quigley, welcomed their first child on April 8. Her daughter has brought a new joy to playing basketball for the 36-year-old.
“It’s like playing with a whole new purpose,” Vandersloot said. “She probably won’t remember much of the games right now.”
4. The Tyler Marsh era is in full swing.
There’s no denying Marsh has had an immediate effect on the Sky and has given fans optimism going into the new season.
Despite the hope surrounding his debut season, Marsh wants to take it one game at a time. His system will take time to stick, but he does have a team goal that, in his eyes, would solidify a successful first year.
“It’s about identity, first and foremost.” Marsh said. “Establishing a culture, establishing a mindset, establishing identity, who we want to be for this year and for the long term moving forward.”
Marsh knows about establishing a precedent. After being on a title-winning staff with the Las Vegas Aces, he will look to bring a similar culture to Chicago.
“Championship leadership and presence on the staff and in the team locker room, it’s huge,” Marsh said.
Pagliocca said he’s satisfied with how things are looking as the season approaches.
“In my eyes, (Marsh) has exceeded expectation of a first-year head coach already with how he has commanded immediately the first day of camp,” Pagliocca said. “You guys are seeing relationships in speed (that) he’s been able to build with the players and has allowed them to buy in and continue to grow.
“I think our versatility and our depth is what’s going to allow us to stay extremely competitive, and a lot of that doesn’t happen without Tyler. (The) things we’ve seen just in a short time have proven that he’s prepared for first-year coaching.”
With the hire, Pagliocca has one thing in mind.
“We’re in win-now mode,” he said. “We are pretty confident about where we can be in the league. We could not be more proud of the players we have in these jerseys right now.”
