2019 Chicago Sky season

2019 Chicago Sky season
CoachJames Wade
ArenaWintrust Arena
Attendance6,749 per game
Results
Record20–14 (.588)
Place3rd (Eastern)
Playoff finish5th Seed; Lost in 2nd Round to Las Vegas
Team Leaders
PointsDiamond DeShields – 16.2 ppg
ReboundsJantel Lavender – 6.9 rpg
AssistsCourtney Vandersloot – 9.1 apg
Media
TelevisionWMEU-CD (The U Too)
ESPN
ESPN2
NBA TV

The 2019 Chicago Sky season was the franchise's 14th season in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The regular season tipped off on May 25 and concluded on September 8.[1] On August 22, the team clinched a playoff berth for the first time in three seasons.[2]

During the offseason, Amber Stocks was dismissed by the team as general manager and head coach.[3] In November, James Wade was announced as the team's new head coach. Wade was previously an assistant with UMMC Ekaterinburg and the Minnesota Lynx.[4][5]

Three Sky players, all guards, were named as reserves to the 2019 WNBA All-Star Game: veterans Allie Quigley and Courtney Vandersloot, and second-year player Diamond DeShields.[6][7] The Sky finished the season second in points per game, but second-to-last in points allowed.[8] DeShields was the team's leading scorer with 16.2 points per game, and Vandersloot broke her own all-time record with 9.1 assists per game.[9] Vandersloot and DeShields were named to the first and second All-WNBA Teams respectively.[10]

In the first round of the 2019 WNBA Playoffs, fifth-seeded Sky hosted the eighth-seeded Phoenix Mercury, whom they defeated 105–76 in a single-elimination game.[11] They lost their second-round single-elimination game on the road to the Las Vegas Aces by a score of 93–92 in the final seconds.[12]

  1. ^ "Chicago Sky schedule". sky.wnba.com. WNBA. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
  2. ^ Kenney, Madeline (August 22, 2019). "Sky clinch playoff spot for first time since 2016". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved September 3, 2019.
  3. ^ "Chicago Sky Announce Change in Coaching Staff". OurSports Central. August 31, 2018. Retrieved July 16, 2019.
  4. ^ "Chicago Sky Announce Change in Coaching Staff". OurSportsCentral.com. August 31, 2018.
  5. ^ Youngblood, Kent (November 9, 2018). "Lynx assistant James Wade headed to Chicago to become Sky's head coach". Star Tribune. Retrieved November 9, 2018.
  6. ^ "Seven-Time Selection Charles, Dupree, Highlight Reserves For All-Star". WNBA.com - Official Site of the WNBA. July 15, 2017. Retrieved July 16, 2019.
  7. ^ Maloney, Jack (July 15, 2017). "2019 WNBA All-Star Game starters and reserves: Elena Delle Donne, A'ja Wilson named captains". CBSSports.com. Retrieved July 16, 2019.
  8. ^ "WNBA Standings 2019". ESPN.com. Retrieved September 12, 2019.
  9. ^ "Team Stats - Chicago Sky - 2019". Chicago Sky. Retrieved September 12, 2019.
  10. ^ "MVP Delle Donne Unanimously Selected To 2019 All-WNBA First Team". WNBA.com. October 6, 2019. Retrieved October 10, 2019.
  11. ^ Thompson, Phil (September 12, 2019). "Chicago Sky advance to the 2nd round of the playoffs behind Diamond DeShields' 25 points". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved September 12, 2019.
  12. ^ Kenney, Madeline (September 15, 2019). "Sky lose single-elimination playoff game in heartbreaking fashion". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved September 17, 2019.