Three-time NBA champion Dwyane Wade made his first official appearance as a member of the Sky’s ownership group Tuesday at Wintrust Arena. He stood in a suite about a story up from the court and watched the Sky host the WNBA-best Aces.
From the moment the news of his investment was made official, Wade has outlined his intentions for the franchise.
‘‘We just want to see improvement,’’ Wade told the Sun-Times this month. ‘‘Just like all the fans of the WNBA, you want to see the ‘W’ continue to keep improving. The Sky, we have to. We know that.’’
It’s clear Wade isn’t shying away from the obvious. The Sky have work to do to compete with the top-caliber franchises in the league. The Aces provide the best example of the hills the Sky have yet to climb, which Wade acknowledged during the All-Star Game this month.
The Sky’s most immediate need, which has proved to be a catalyst for free-agency decisions, is their own practice facility. Ownership already has acknowledged its intention to establish one near Wintrust.
It’s unclear how Wade’s investment will affect those efforts, but players around the league are watching.
Wilson’s MVP campaign
In the absence of injured Candace Parker, Aces star A’ja Wilson’s quest for her second consecutive MVP and third overall only has intensified. In the Aces’ last five games — all without Parker — Wilson is averaging 23.6 points and 12 rebounds.
Through the first 23 games of the season, Wilson’s averages are on par with those of her first MVP season in 2020. In fact, she’s averaging nearly two rebounds more a game than when she first won the award.
‘‘She needs to be in the [MVP] conversation, in all conversations,’’ teammate Chelsea Gray said. ‘‘The times that she’s left out, it doesn’t make sense. She gets this done in, like, three quarters.’’
Wilson isn’t only making an impact on one end of the floor, either. Aces coach Becky Hammon likened Wilson to a cat when describing her improvement defensively. It was a comparison she came to when describing Wilson’s ability to prevent opponents from even sealing her off in the post.
What Hammon emphasized about Wilson’s defensive presence is that she rarely concedes position. In the unlikely circumstance she does, Wilson also has shown she can block shots (2.1 per game).
‘‘At the end of the day, it’s her ownership of the paint [that makes her great],’’ Hammon said. ‘‘It’s her effort and energy and focus that she puts in on the defensive end. I wish I could say I turned her into a defensive juggernaut, but I can’t say that.’’
