Another Chicago Sky season got buried at Wintrust Arena on Sunday night, its playoff hopes ripped away by a flurry of third quarter threes from Indiana Fever stars Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell. Look, the official cause of death was those Indiana Fever stars Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell raining down third quarter three-pointers, turning a tight game into a total blowout. But anyone watching knew the Sky’s mathematical elimination was coming. This is their third straight season missing the playoffs, and honestly, it felt like a slow-motion train wreck you could see from a mile away, an inevitable disaster the franchise has been defining itself by since their magical 2021 championship run.
Rickea Jackson’s Injury Wasn’t The Only Problem
Yeah, injuries are an easy excuse, and star forward Rickea Jackson tearing her ACL after they started 3-1 was brutal. That one injury kicked off a nightmare 11 losses in 12 games that basically ended their season right there. You can fantasize about “what if,” about Jackson staying healthy, but let’s be real. This boat had too many leaks to ever sail smooth. Under general manager Jeff Pagliocca, fantasy is the only thing Sky fans really have left to latch onto. This season was destined to be forgettable, long before anyone even stepped on the court.
The Angel Reese Decision That Haunts Them
But here’s the real gut punch, the disaster of their own making. Remember when they traded Angel Reese to the Atlanta Dream for two first-round picks before training camp even opened? Reese was a homegrown star, gave them two solid seasons, but she got sick of the mediocrity. She literally told the Tribune, “I’m not settling for the same s, we did this year.” Talk about clairvoyant, right? She even called for an upgrade at lead guard, dropping this gem: “We can’t rely on Courtney to come back at the age that she’s at,” Reese said. Bam. That comment, calling out Courtney Vandersloot, a Sky legend, might as well have booked her ticket out of town. Reese was suspended a game for those comments. You had a 24-year-old rising star going against a 37-year-old coming off a torn ACL. Any sensible franchise backs the future, but “sensible” and “Sky” just don’t go together.
It feels like GM Jeff Pagliocca has been catering to Vandersloot since day one, in many ways. He got his start as her personal trainer, so you know there’s a tight connection there. Bringing her back after her short stint with the New York Liberty, which ended with a loss in the 2023 WNBA Finals? It was all part of the plan to build around her, hoping for a return to glory. Pagliocca’s been burning through future draft picks, consistently trading them away, trying to make a “competitive” team. But what has it gotten them? More disappointing seasons. They’ve mortgaged their entire future for seasons that had zero chance of paying off in worthwhile fashion.
So, no next game to look forward to for Chicago. This season’s done. But what about the next one? With their future mortgaged and their star talent traded away for picks, what exactly are Sky fans supposed to latch onto? It’s a rough scene in the Windy City. They’re left with just fantasy, and that’s a tough way to live in professional sports.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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