All Topics  
Chicago Sky

 

   Email Print
   Bookmark   Link






 

Chicago Sky



 
 
The Chicago Sky are a Women's National Basketball Association
Women's National Basketball Association

The Women's National Basketball Association has 13 teams and is an organization governing a professional basketball league for women in the United States....
 (WNBA) team based in Chicago, Illinois. They began league play in 2006. Their home court is the UIC Pavilion
UIC Pavilion

The UIC Pavilion is a 6,958-seat multi-purpose arena, located at 525 S. Racine Street on the West Side in Chicago, Illinois, United States, which opened in 1982 with a Loverboy concert.....
. Sky games are broadcast on WTTW or WCIU
WCIU-TV

WCIU-TV is an Independent station , located in Chicago, Illinois. It operates on ultra high frequency channel 26 and is Chicago's oldest UHF station, signing on the air in 1964....
 and WVON-AM 1690. Their play by play broadcasters are Les Grobstein and Tauja Catchings.

Unlike other WNBA franchises in cities with NBA teams, the Sky aren't a sister team to the Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls

The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
. This is apparent with different ownership, team colors, and different home arenas, although there is a link to the Sky website from the Bulls website.






Discussion
Ask a question about 'Chicago Sky'
Start a new discussion about 'Chicago Sky'
Answer questions from other users
Full Discussion Forum



Encyclopedia


The Chicago Sky are a Women's National Basketball Association
Women's National Basketball Association

The Women's National Basketball Association has 13 teams and is an organization governing a professional basketball league for women in the United States....
 (WNBA) team based in Chicago, Illinois. They began league play in 2006. Their home court is the UIC Pavilion
UIC Pavilion

The UIC Pavilion is a 6,958-seat multi-purpose arena, located at 525 S. Racine Street on the West Side in Chicago, Illinois, United States, which opened in 1982 with a Loverboy concert.....
. Sky games are broadcast on WTTW or WCIU
WCIU-TV

WCIU-TV is an Independent station , located in Chicago, Illinois. It operates on ultra high frequency channel 26 and is Chicago's oldest UHF station, signing on the air in 1964....
 and WVON-AM 1690. Their play by play broadcasters are Les Grobstein and Tauja Catchings.

Unlike other WNBA franchises in cities with NBA teams, the Sky aren't a sister team to the Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls

The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
. This is apparent with different ownership, team colors, and different home arenas, although there is a link to the Sky website from the Bulls website. Their rivals are the Detroit Shock
Detroit Shock

The Detroit Shock is a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Detroit, Michigan. They were the 2008 WNBA champions.Debuting in 1998, they were one of the league's first expansion franchises....
 and the New York Liberty
New York Liberty

The New York Liberty is a Women's National Basketball Association team based in New York City, New York. They are one of the eight original WNBA teams that began to see action in 1997, as well one of the most successful teams in WNBA history....
.

Franchise History


Franchise Origin

In February 2005, NBA Commissioner David Stern
David Stern

David Joel Stern is the current commissioner of the National Basketball Association . David Stern grew up in Teaneck, New Jersey, New Jersey, and is a graduate of Teaneck High School....
 announced Chicago as the city awarded with a new WNBA franchise. The franchise was temporarily named WNBA Chicago. On May 27, 2005, former NBA player and coach Dave Cowens
Dave Cowens

David William Cowens is a retired American professional basketball player and National Basketball Association head coach. At 6'9", he played the Center position....
 was announced as the team's first head coach and general manager.

The team name and logo were formally debuted on September 20, 2005, at the Adler Planetarium
Adler Planetarium

The Adler Planetarium & Astronomy Museum in Chicago, Illinois was the first planetarium built in the Western Hemisphere and is the oldest in existence today....
. The Chicago Sky were officially born. Team President and CEO
Chief executive officer

A chief executive officer or chief executive is typically the highest-ranking Corporate title or Administration in charge of total management of a corporation, company, non-profit organization, or government agency, reporting to the board of directors....
 Margaret Stender
Margaret Stender

Margaret Stender is businessman and former college basketball player. She spent 21 years in the corporate business world, including being president of the ready-to-eat cereal division at Quaker Oats Company; senior vice-president and general manager of consumer travel solutions for Rand McNally & Co; vice-president of marketing for Ameritech...
 claimed the team colors of yellow and blue represent "A beautiful day in Chicago between the blue sky
Sky

The sky is the part of the atmosphere or of outer space visible from the surface of any astronomical object. It is difficult to define precisely for several reasons....
 and bright sunlight
Sunlight

Sunlight, in the broad sense, is the total spectroscopy of the electromagnetic radiation given off by the Sun. On Earth, sunlight is Filter ed through the Earth's atmosphere, and the solar radiation is obvious as daylight when the Sun is above the horizon....
 to highlight the spectacular skyline."

The team's introduction in Chicago was highlighted by the appearance of several WNBA star players, including 2004 WNBA Rookie of the Year
WNBA Rookie of the Year Award

The Women's National Basketball Association's Rookie of the Year Award is an annual Women's National Basketball Association award given since the 1998 WNBA season, to the top rookie of the regular season....
 Diana Taurasi
Diana Taurasi

Diana Lurena Taurasi is a professional basketball player who plays for the Phoenix Mercury in the Women's National Basketball Association....
, 2005 WNBA Rookie of the Year Temeka Johnson
Temeka Johnson

Temeka Rochelle Johnson is an United States professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women's National Basketball Association....
, 2002 WNBA Rookie of the Year Sue Bird
Sue Bird

Suzanne Brigit Bird is a professional basketball player. A high school star from Christ The King RHS, she went on to become a key part of two national champion University of Connecticut teams, the first player to be picked in the 2002 WNBA Draft and an Olympic gold medalist....
 and 2003 WNBA Champion
WNBA Finals

The WNBA Finals is the championship series of the Women's National Basketball Association , held in early September and played under a best-of-five playoff format....
 Ruth Riley
Ruth Riley

Ruth Ellen Riley is an United States professional basketball player in the Women's National Basketball Association and the National Women's Basketball League ....
.

In November 2005, the team held an expansion draft
Expansion draft

An expansion draft, in professional sports, occurs when a sports league decides to create one or more new expansion teams or sports franchisings....
 to help build its roster of players. Among the notable selections were Brooke Wyckoff from the Connecticut Sun
Connecticut Sun

The Connecticut Sun is a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Uncasville, Connecticut. The team was founded before the 2003 WNBA season began....
, Bernadette Ngoyisa
Bernadette Ngoyisa

Bernadette Ngoyisa is a professional women's basketball center with the Indiana Fever of the WNBA. Ngoyisa is from the Democratic Republic of the Congo....
 from the San Antonio Silver Stars
San Antonio Silver Stars

The San Antonio Silver Stars is a team in the Women's National Basketball Association based in San Antonio, Texas. They are one of the original eight founding teams in the WNBA....
, Elaine Powell
Elaine Powell

Elaine Powell is a professional basketball player. She currently plays the point guard position for the Detroit Shock in the WNBA....
 from the Detroit Shock
Detroit Shock

The Detroit Shock is a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Detroit, Michigan. They were the 2008 WNBA champions.Debuting in 1998, they were one of the league's first expansion franchises....
 and Stacey Dales
Stacey Dales

Stacey Dales, , was raised in Brockville, Ontario. Attended the University of Oklahoma, a member of the Kodak All-American First Team in 2001 and 2002....
 (who had retired prior to the 2005 season) from the Washington Mystics
Washington Mystics

The Washington Mystics is a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Washington, D.C., U.S.A. They started play in 1998, the second year of the WNBA and are one of the WNBA's first expansion franchises....
.

On February 28, 2006, the team announced that two of the minority shareholders of the team are Michelle Williams
Michelle Williams (singer)

Tenitra Michelle Williams , commonly known as Michelle Williams, is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She is better known for being one third of the successful contemporary R&B girl group Destiny's Child, the best-selling female group of all time according to the World Music Awards and Sony BMG....
, from the vocal group Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child

Destiny's Child was an contemporary R&B and pop music girl group comprising lead singer Beyonc? Knowles alongside Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams ....
 and Matthew Knowles, father of Destiny's Child lead singer Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Knowles

Beyonc? Giselle Knowles , commonly known as Beyonc? , is an American contemporary R&B singer-songwriter, record producer and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools, and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child....
.

Play Begins

The Chicago Sky were ready to get the 2006 WNBA season
2006 WNBA season

The 2006 WNBA Season was the Women's National Basketball Association's tenth season. The league added one team the Chicago Sky. On April 5 the Women's National Basketball Association held their draft....
 underway. The team would experience typical expansion team growing pains. The Sky would post 5-29 record, dead last in the Eastern Conference.

After the season, Dave Cowens
Dave Cowens

David William Cowens is a retired American professional basketball player and National Basketball Association head coach. At 6'9", he played the Center position....
 resigned from the Sky to join the coaching staff of the Detroit Pistons
Detroit Pistons

The Detroit Pistons are a team in the National Basketball Association based in the Detroit metropolitan area. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills....
. University of Missouri-Kansas City women's head basketball coach Bo Overton
Bo Overton

Bo Overton is the former head coach of the Chicago Sky, a team in the Women's National Basketball Association.Overton played at the University of Oklahoma from 1980 to 1983, where he was a starting point guard....
 was named the Chicago Sky's new head coach and general manager on December 12, 2006.

Their WNBA-worst 2006 record of 5-29 gave them the best chance of drawing the top pick in the 2007 WNBA Draft
2007 WNBA Draft

The 2007 Women's National Basketball Association WNBA Draft was the league's annual draft for determining which teams receive the rights to negotiate with players entering the league....
. However, the Sky would not draw either of the top two picks, and ended up with the third overall pick, which they used to select Armintie Price
Armintie Price

Armintie Ada Price is an United States professional basketball player. Price, who played collegiately at the University of Mississippi, was drafted third overall by the Chicago Sky in the 2007 WNBA Draft....
. They would get the first pick in the dispersal draft of the Charlotte Sting
Charlotte Sting

The Charlotte Sting was once a Women's National Basketball Association franchise based in Charlotte, North Carolina and it was one of the league's eight original teams....
, however, which they used to select Monique Currie
Monique Currie

Monique Currie is a Women's National Basketball Association basketball player whose rights are owned by the Washington Mystics.Currie was traded from the Chicago Sky during the 2007 season in exchange for Chasity Melvin....
.

In 2007, the Sky would field a vastly improved team. The core group of players from 2006 along with some new additions (Notably rookie Armintie Price) helped make the team competitive. The Sky would be in the Eastern Conference
Eastern Conference (WNBA)

The Eastern Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of seven teams.The Eastern Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Western Conference champion in the WNBA Finals to determine the WN...
 playoff picture all year long, even holding the #4 seed for part of the season. But the Sky finished with a 14-20 record. This would make them two games behind the fourth and final playoff spot. Guard Armintie Price was named the 2007 WNBA Rookie of the Year after the season.

On March 12, 2008 the Sky announced that Head Coach Bo Overton
Bo Overton

Bo Overton is the former head coach of the Chicago Sky, a team in the Women's National Basketball Association.Overton played at the University of Oklahoma from 1980 to 1983, where he was a starting point guard....
 resigned his position of coach/general manager. Assistant coach Steven Key
Steven Key

Steven Key is the current head coach of the Chicago Sky of the Women's National Basketball Association . As a player, he played for Boston University, professionally in the Continental Basketball Association , and throughout Europe....
 was named head coach/general manager of the Sky.

The Sky selected Sylvia Fowles
Sylvia Fowles

Sylvia Shaqueria Fowles is an United States professional basketball player for the Chicago Sky in the WNBA. She is 6 ft 5 in tall and weighs 200 lbs ....
 with the second overall pick of the 2008 WNBA Draft
2008 WNBA Draft

The 2008 Women's National Basketball Association WNBA Draft is the league's annual draft for determining which teams receive the rights to negotiate with players entering the league....
.

In the 2008 season, the Sky would once again fail to make the playoffs as they post a 12-22 record, finishing 5th in the East. This was disappointing because for most of the season, rookie Fowles was out with an injury. She was injured trying to block a shot (instead getting called for the WNBA's first goaltending call).

Uniforms

  • 2006 - Present: At home, white with light blue on the sides. Collar is light blue. On the road, light blue with gold on the sides. Collar is gold.


Season-by-Season Records

SeasonSky seasonConference
Conference (sports)

A conference usually refers to a grouping of teams, typically based on geographical location. Sometimes if there are many teams, a conference can be split into Division s....
FinishWinsLossesWin%
Winning percentage

In sports, a winning percentage is the fraction of games or matches a team or individual has won. It is equal to wins divided by wins plus losses....
GB
Games behind

In sports, the phrase games behind or games back , is a common way to reflect the gap between a leading team and another team in a sports league, conference, or division....
PlayoffsAwards
2006
2006 WNBA season

The 2006 WNBA Season was the Women's National Basketball Association's tenth season. The league added one team the Chicago Sky. On April 5 the Women's National Basketball Association held their draft....
2006
2006 Chicago Sky season

The 2006 WNBA season was the first for the Chicago Sky....
Eastern
Eastern Conference (WNBA)

The Eastern Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of seven teams.The Eastern Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Western Conference champion in the WNBA Finals to determine the WN...
7th529.14721Did not reach the Playoffs
2007
2007 WNBA season

The 2007 WNBA Season was the Women's National Basketball Association's 11th season. On January 3, 2007 The Charlotte Sting folded. Three months later on April 4, the Women's National Basketball Association held their annual draft in Cleveland, Ohio....
2007
2007 Chicago Sky season

The 2007 Chicago Sky season was the 2nd season in the Women's National Basketball Association for the Chicago Sky....
Eastern6th1420.41210Did not reach the Playoffs
2008
2008 WNBA season

The 2008 WNBA Season was the Women's National Basketball Association's 12th season....
2008
2008 Chicago Sky season

The 2008 WNBA season was be the 3rd season for the Chicago Sky. The Sky were not able to have their first winning season....
Eastern5th1222.35310Did not reach the Playoffs
2009
2009 WNBA season

The 2009 WNBA Season will be the Women's National Basketball Association's 13th season....
2009
2009 Chicago Sky season

The 2009 Chicago Sky season is Chicago's 4th season in the league. They will attempt to qualify for the playoffs for the first time in franchise history....
Eastern      


Players


Current Roster


Former players

  • Kayte Christensen
    Kayte Christensen

    Kayte Lauren Christensen is an American professional basketball player who has competed internationally and for the Phoenix Mercury and Chicago Sky in the Women's National Basketball Association....
     (2007)
  • Monique Currie
    Monique Currie

    Monique Currie is a Women's National Basketball Association basketball player whose rights are owned by the Washington Mystics.Currie was traded from the Chicago Sky during the 2007 season in exchange for Chasity Melvin....
     (2007), now a member of the Washington Mystics
    Washington Mystics

    The Washington Mystics is a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Washington, D.C., U.S.A. They started play in 1998, the second year of the WNBA and are one of the WNBA's first expansion franchises....
  • Stacey Dales
    Stacey Dales

    Stacey Dales, , was raised in Brockville, Ontario. Attended the University of Oklahoma, a member of the Kodak All-American First Team in 2001 and 2002....
     (2006-2007), now retired
  • Stacey Lovelace-Tolbert
    Stacey Lovelace-Tolbert

    Stacey Lovelace-Tolbert is an United States professional basketball player in the WNBA, who played in the Women's National Basketball Association....
     (2006)
  • Nikki McCray
    Nikki McCray

    Nikki McCray is a former United States professional basketball player. She played in the Women's National Basketball Association for eight seasons....
     (2006), now retired
  • Bernadette Ngoyisa
    Bernadette Ngoyisa

    Bernadette Ngoyisa is a professional women's basketball center with the Indiana Fever of the WNBA. Ngoyisa is from the Democratic Republic of the Congo....
     (2006-2007), now a member of the Indiana Fever
    Indiana Fever

    The Indiana Fever is a professional women's basketball team that plays in the Women's National Basketball Association . The Fever are based in Indiana's capital and largest city, Indianapolis, Indiana....
  • Chelsea Newton
    Chelsea Newton

    Chelsea Newton was born February 17, 1983 in Monroe, Louisiana. She is a guard for WNBA team Sacramento Monarchs.References...
     (2006), now a member of the Sacramento Monarchs
    Sacramento Monarchs

    The Sacramento Monarchs is a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Sacramento, California. The team is one of the WNBA's eight original franchises and was noted early on for standout players Ticha Penicheiro, Ruthie Bolton and Yolanda Griffith....
  • Elaine Powell
    Elaine Powell

    Elaine Powell is a professional basketball player. She currently plays the point guard position for the Detroit Shock in the WNBA....
     (2006), now a member of the Detroit Shock
    Detroit Shock

    The Detroit Shock is a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Detroit, Michigan. They were the 2008 WNBA champions.Debuting in 1998, they were one of the league's first expansion franchises....
  • Ashley Robinson
    Ashley Robinson

    Ashley Robinson , nicknamed A-Rob or Robbo, is a 6'4" professional basketball player in the WNBA, currently playing for the Seattle Storm. Jersey Number 43....
     (2006), now a member of the Seattle Storm
    Seattle Storm

    The Seattle Storm is a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently led by Australian basketball star Lauren Jackson and University of Connecticut star Sue Bird....


Coaches

Head Coaches:
  • Dave Cowens
    Dave Cowens

    David William Cowens is a retired American professional basketball player and National Basketball Association head coach. At 6'9", he played the Center position....
     (2006)
  • Bo Overton
    Bo Overton

    Bo Overton is the former head coach of the Chicago Sky, a team in the Women's National Basketball Association.Overton played at the University of Oklahoma from 1980 to 1983, where he was a starting point guard....
     (2007)
  • Steven Key
    Steven Key

    Steven Key is the current head coach of the Chicago Sky of the Women's National Basketball Association . As a player, he played for Boston University, professionally in the Continental Basketball Association , and throughout Europe....
     (2008-present)


Assistant Coaches:
  • Steven Key
    Steven Key

    Steven Key is the current head coach of the Chicago Sky of the Women's National Basketball Association . As a player, he played for Boston University, professionally in the Continental Basketball Association , and throughout Europe....
     (2006)
  • Steven Key
    Steven Key

    Steven Key is the current head coach of the Chicago Sky of the Women's National Basketball Association . As a player, he played for Boston University, professionally in the Continental Basketball Association , and throughout Europe....
    , Roger Reding, Stephanie White
    Stephanie White

    Stephanie White-McCarty was a former professional basketball player in the Women's National Basketball Association. As an intercollegiate athlete, she was named the winner of the Wade Trophy in 1999, which recognizes the top female basketball player in the nation....
     (2007)
  • Michael Mitchell
    Michael Mitchell

    Michael Mitchell is an Indigenous Australian former Australian rules footballer for the Claremont Football Club in the West Australian Football League and the Richmond Football Club in the Australian Football League....
    , Stephanie White
    Stephanie White

    Stephanie White-McCarty was a former professional basketball player in the Women's National Basketball Association. As an intercollegiate athlete, she was named the winner of the Wade Trophy in 1999, which recognizes the top female basketball player in the nation....
     (2008-present)


External links