Chatman era begins for Sky
Since last summer the head coach and general manager changed, and so have some key players and some top front-office personnel.
But one thing remains the same for the Sky: The No. 1 goal for Chicago’s WNBA franchise is to make the playoffs. Sounds easy enough, but it would be a significant milestone considering the Sky has yet to make the playoffs in its five years of existence.
Will Year 6 be different? Will dynamic new coach and general manager Pokey Chatman be the breath of fresh air the team needs? Will a winning team, a playoff-caliber team, bring more fans to the Allstate Arena?
Answers will soon start to trickle in. The Sky opened the season last weekend in Indianapolis against the Indiana Fever and will play its first home game Friday night (7:30 p.m.) against the Connecticut Sun.
In the meantime, here are questions to ponder as the WNBA’s 15th anniversary season unfolds.
Q: Chatman isn’t easing into her job, as some first-year coaches do. She has said the season would be considered a major failure if the Sky misses the playoffs. What needs to happen for the Sky to be playing well into September?
A: This is a three-part answer. First, better rebounding. Despite 6-foot-6 tower of power Sylvia Fowles anchoring the paint, the Sky was outrebounded by nearly 2 per game last season. And those extra rebounds often came in the form of putbacks for the opposition, a major killer.
Fowles averaged nearly 10 rebounds last season. Adding another 6-6 body inside in Michelle Snow should make rebounding a strength this season.
The Sky also needs more consistent perimeter scoring. Opponents love to double on Fowles every time she gets even a whiff of the ball. Indiana did it masterfully last weekend and limited Fowles to just 5 field-goal attempts.
If players such as Epiphanny Prince, Courtney Vandersloot, Dominique Canty, Tamera Young, Erin Thorn, Cathrine Kraayeveld and Angie Bjorklund can hit long-range shots, Fowles won’t be so smothered, and she’s almost impossible to cover 1-on-1.
Finally, the Sky needs better finishes. A killer instinct is a must. There were too many late-game collapses and leads wasted.
Playoff teams close out games. Period.
Q: What can the players expect from Chatman?
A: She’s a spunky, charismatic coach who relates well to players off the court but is demanding of them on it.
Expect to see an uptick in the Sky’s defensive prowess. Since her days as head coach at LSU, Chatman has been known for her intense focus on defense. She won’t hesitate to use traps, double teams and full-court pressure.
In the season opener, the Sky held Indiana to 30 percent shooting.
Q: Will rookie Vandersloot and second-year standout Prince eventually be the Sky’s starting backcourt?
A: Yes, and probably sooner than later.
Veteran point guard Canty started the opener against the Indiana and offers leadership, experience and savvy. But Vandersloot, a heady point guard who was the No. 3 pick in April’s draft, is too good to keep on the bench, and Chatman knows it. It’s why Vandersloot played 29 minutes against the Fever.
“I don’t discriminate,” Chatman said. “If you can help us win, you’re going to play.”
Canty will become a much-needed mentor to Vandersloot and Prince.
Prince, who played some point guard last year, will slide into the shooting-guard spot, her natural position. She seemed comfortable there against Indiana, scoring 20 points on 4 three-pointers. Chatman believes Prince is capable of averaging 20 points this year.
Q: Was the off-season trade involving Jia Perkins and Michelle Snow a positive gain?
A: Probably. Perkins gave five solid years to the Sky and was an all-star in 2009. But her career has been inconsistent, and her lack of scoring from the perimeter hurt the Sky.
Trading Perkins opens the door for Prince and Vandersloot at the perimeter, and getting Snow provides a nice complement to Fowles inside.
Snow is a great passer, so the Sky should be able to run some high-low post offense. A capable scorer, Snow can pull defenders away from Fowles. And her rebounding and shot-blocking should take some pressure off Fowles as well.
Draft pick Carolyn Swords of Boston College and former Neuqua Valley and Purdue star Lindsay Wisdom-Hylton should provide enough minutes off the bench to keep Fowles and Snow fresh.
Q: How much will the Sky miss Shameka Christon?
A: A lot. Sadly, Christon never got to show Sky fans what she is all about. The sharpshooting small forward took an inadvertent elbow to the eye early last season and sustained a concussion and a scratch to her cornea that ended her season.
With her injuries behind her, Christon was ready to get back to her all-star form this season. Chatman had penciled her in as a starter at small forward, but then doctors discovered the nagging pain in her knee required season-ending surgery.
Because teams must adhere to a strict 11-player roster and get no allowances for injured players unless they fall below nine players, the Sky was forced to waive Christon and sign Wisdom-Hylton.
That leaves a huge hole on the perimeter.
Young stepped into Christon’s spot last year and will be the starter again. But she averaged only 7 points last year and needs to produce more offensively for the Sky to be successful.
Q: Will the Sky make the playoffs?
A: My heart says, “Yes. This team is due.” My head says, “The Sky has a good shot, but it won’t be easy. There is a lot of talent in the WNBA, and the Sky can’t afford to snooze through any games.”
pbabcock@dailyherald.com