A week into his new role, Sky interim coach/general manager Emre Vatansever is still working to establish the team’s culture under his leadership.
“We want to establish the Sky way to play,” Vatansever said.
On Sunday, ahead of the Sky’s second of consecutive games against the Atlanta Dream, Vatansever said it’s still too early to say exactly what the “Sky way” will be with him at the helm. He did, however, emphasize doing the little things right.
“It’s about making the right plays and playing for each other,” Vatansever said. “Moving the ball well, playing defense, not getting beat one on one, not giving up offensive rebounds, boxing out and going out there and running. If we can do those things, we’ll be successful.”
Vatansever’s way of going about getting the most out of his players differs significantly from that of former coach/general manager James Wade.
During Wade’s 4½ years, he was known to fire up his players by getting after them. Players often joked about little messages he’d relay during games that “[ticked them] off” just enough to spark a run or response that would shift the momentum.
Vatansever is the opposite in that respect.
“They’re just two different coaching styles,” Dana Evans said. “Emre is calmer than James. For James, that’s just how he was, that’s what got everybody going. He depends on us to do that for each other.”
Dana Evans Elite Basketball
After the Sky’s victory last week over the Fever in Indiana, Evans didn’t immediately head back to the locker room. Instead, she worked her way into the crowd.
Five rows up from the court was a group of about 12 young women that Evans embraced like family. On her way back to the locker room, she smiled when asked who they were.
“That’s my AAU team,” Evans said.
Dana Evans Elite Basketball, an AAU team based out of Louisville, was founded by the Sky guard almost two years ago while she was playing in Hungary. The program is still very new, but Evans is proud of the progress the team has made in its early stages.
“It’s dope,” Evans said. “For me, it’s just being a leader for them, being somebody they can look up to and be there for them to talk to them and be engaged. When you have your name attached to something, it’s cool, but it’s even better when you interact with them and you really talk to them.”
During the season, Evans isn’t involved on a day-to-day basis with her team, but she has been able to surprise the team at a couple of practices in Louisville this year.
Injured players
Rebekah Gardner (foot) and Isabelle Harrison (knee) have been out for much of the season. Gardner broke her left foot against the Washington Mystics on May 26, and Harrison had surgery to repair her left meniscus in the first week of the season.
Harrison has been rehabbing in Texas, but Gardner has stayed with the Sky in Chicago. Vatansever emphasized the importance of Gardner’s involvement despite her injury.
“She’s in every practice, every meeting and travels,” Vatansever said. “She’s with the team being a vocal leader.’’
Vatansever didn’t provide an update on whether Gardner or Harrison will be back this season.
