CHICAGO — The 2021 Sky were a bright spot in a Chicago sports landscape where any kind of light was far and few between. But after winning a championship then failing to repeat, that light has flickered out.
Candace Parker, Courtney Vandersloot and Azurá Stevens have all now chosen to take their talents elsewhere. Parker will be joining the defending champions Las Vegas Aces. Vandersloot hasn’t announced her new team, but did say her goodbye and thank you to the Sky and their fans in an Instagram post. Stevens, who saw her minutes decline in favor of Emma Meesseman, is reportedly signing with the Los Angeles Sparks. And Allie Quigley, a hometown basketball legend, has decided to take the year off from basketball entirely.
All of that begs the question: why can’t Chicago, a Top 3 sports market, retain any talent? Why aren’t big-time free agents staying with the Sky? Who is Kahleah Copper, in the final year of a two-year deal, going to play with? While there has been rampant speculation about Sky players leaving, the rumor mill has been eerily quiet when it comes to interest from players wanting to come to Chicago.
