After a hot start to the season, the Chicago Sky are now in the midst of a miserable five-game losing streak. While injuries have most definitely contributed to the run of bad form, there is a more pressing matter at hand here: why on earth did the Sky believe they were in place to make a tilt for the championship? After opting for perceived veteran winners over building a younger core, the franchise has created a bleak future for itself.
Hindsight is a glorious thing, and when Chicago started the season with a 3-1 record, nobody would dare question Jeff Pagliocca's decision to decimate any chance the team had of building for the future. However, even in that moment, it was clear to anyone watching the Sky that, while this team clearly possessed exciting players, its roster could not compare to those of the Las Vegas Aces and the Atlanta Dream.
Each turn the franchise seems to take steers them into more trouble and fewer options to salvage their future. There is a glimmer of hope for Chicago, and they must hold onto it with every fibre of their being if they wish to end the toxic cycle they currently find themselves in.
Rickea Jackson and Gabriela Jaquez prove the Sky still has a future
Despite trading away Angel Reese and waiving Hailey Van Lith, the Sky can still scrape together a younger roster that has bags of potential -- but they must embrace this identity fully and not flinch at the first sign of trouble. Rickea Jackson and Gabriela Jaquez have proven they can be a stable foundation for a squad to be constructed upon.
Before suffering a season-ending ACL injury, Jackson established herself as a beacon of hope in Chicago. The dangerous forward was averaging 18 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game. It may have been early in the season, but Jackson was playing at an All-Star level if she could maintain such impressive levels of production.
While also struggling with her own fitness issues, Jaquez has justified the Sky's decision to select her fifth overall in the 2026 WNBA draft. The rookie has registered 11.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game. The UCLA alum's contagious energy and fearless mentality appear to make an impact no matter which opponent she faces.
Additionally, Kamilla Cardoso has shown glimpses of a star center who can dominate on both sides of the ball, depending on her motivation levels that night. A 12-point, 13-rebound performance, alongside six blocks in Chicago's 90-72 defeat to the Washington Mystics, proved that Cardoso is a difficult customer to contain, but this level of showing must become more consistent.
If the Chicago Sky can act quickly, it can pivot away from its win-now vision for the team. There are enough talented prospects on this team to start a new era in the 'Windy City'. Nevertheless, real questions must be asked about why Jeff Pagliocca believed he could impulsively build a roster that could rival better-equipped franchises for the championship trophy.
Add us as a preferred source on Google