Despite WNBA future odds preseason predictions that they would be among the league’s worst teams, the Sky had a promising start. Chicago opened with a 3–3 record in May. Including a stunning win, 90–81, over the New York Liberty. In the 9th game of the season, a 79–71 win over the Washington Mystics, starter Elizabeth Williams suffered a season-ending knee injury.
Previously, in October 2023, the team hired Teresa Weatherspoon as head coach. She replaced interim head coach Emre Vatansever. Also, the team hired Jeff Pagliocca as general manager, separating this role from the head coaching position for the first time.
Several starting players from previous seasons, including Kahleah Copper, Alanna Smith, Courtney Williams, Astou Ndour-Fall, and Julie Allemand, departed in free agency and trades. The Sky signed their own former first-round draft pick, Diamond DeShields. Through trades, they acquired the 3rd and 7th picks in the 2024 WNBA draft, drafting high-profile college stars Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese.
Cardoso had suffered a shoulder injury during the preseason and missed the first six games of the season. Initially she was slotted into the starting lineup to play alongside another rookie, Reese. In the first half of June, the Sky consistently struggled with bad starts to games.
Chicago Sky Team Overview
In the 2024 season, the Chicago Sky were 13-27 straight up, 16-24 against the spread, and 19-21 over/under the offshore bookmaker total. As a result, Chicago was 6th in the Eastern Conference playoff standings. Chicago was 19 games behind the New York Liberty in the Eastern Conference playoff race.
Overall, Chicago’s WNBA metrics were 11th for scoring offense, 11th for field goal percentage, 9th for 3-point field goal percentage, 12th for free throw percentage, and 1st for offensive rebounding. On defense, the Sky had WNBA metrics of 10th for scoring defense, 4th for field goal percentage permitted, 4th for 3-point field goal percentage allowed, and 5th for defensive rebounding.
Following the 12th game of the season, an 81–83 loss at Washington, their third loss in a row. Lindsay Allen and Chennedy Carter replaced Dana Evans and Diamond DeShields in the starting lineup. The Sky’s performances improved with the new lineup. And it stayed intact until the WNBA break for the 2024 Paris Olympics. In the last game before the break, Chicago scored another surprising win, 93–85, against the reigning champions Las Vegas Aces and entered the Olympic break in eighth place with a 10–14 record.
till, the Sky were in the running for the last playoff spot until the final day of the season; however, they finished with a five-game losing streak and ultimately missed the playoffs, finishing in 10th place with a 13–27 record. Nonetheless, Chicago set a franchise record for average attendance, drawing 8,757 fans per game. After the season, Chicago fired Weatherspoon.
Chicago Sky Key Players and Coach
Angel Reese was the 7th overall pick of the 2024 WNBA Draft out of LSU. She was a 2024 WNBA All-Star and the league’s leading rebounder, averaging 13.6 points and 13 rebounds per game. Meanwhile, Tyler Marsh is the new head coach of the Chicago Sky. As an assistant coach, he won a 2019 NBA championship with the Toronto Raptors. He was a 2-time WNBA playoff odds champion as an assistant coach with the Las Vegas Aces.