Best Sky player of all time? No contest

Earlier this week, Mechelle Voepel of ESPN.com wrote an interesting piece about which former Connecticut Huskie was the best player in the WNBA right now. Not all time, but right now.

It's an intriguing question, with, not surprisingly, many possibilities.

Connecticut wins NCAA championships every other whipstitch because head coach Geno Auriemma gets most of the best high school players in the country. When those players move on to become professionals, they usually become the best in the WNBA.

Voepel gave Seattle forward Breanna Stewart, UConn Class of 2016, the nod as the WNBA's best former Huskie right now.

At this moment, I agree. Other former UConn superstars such as Minnesota's Maya Moore (Class of 2011), New York's Tina Charles (Class of 2010) and Diana Taurasi (Class of 2004) of Phoenix could easily hold the top spot.

Of course, two former Connecticut players are currently on the Sky roster: center Stefanie Dolson, who is a little banged up right now, and rookie forward Gabby Williams, who is just getting her feet wet in the WNBA.

The Connecticut/WNBA ranking game, however, got me thinking about the best Chicago Sky players of all time.

Coincidentally, I believe the greatest Chicago Sky player was almost a Connecticut Huskie. Forward Elena Delle Donne, who was drafted by the Sky in 2013 and is now with the Washington Mystics, was at Connecticut for a New York minute, then left to go home to Delaware. She started playing volleyball at the University of Delaware and later wound up being an all-American basketball player there.

Confusing, I know. Delle Donne's Sky career was confusing as well, which is why she is a bittersweet pick as the Sky's GOAT (Greatest of All Time). Delle Donne demanded to be traded from the Sky two years ago, and her exit was uneasy and unexpected.

While she was here, though, there is no denying her impact.

Delle Donne led the Sky, which had been struggling to be a playoff team in its previous seven years, to a postseason appearance (the first in franchise history) in her first year in the WNBA.

The following season, Delle Donne guided the Sky to the 2014 WNBA Finals, the first and only Finals appearance in franchise history.

In 2015, she was named the WNBA's most valuable player.

Clearly, Delle Donne, who had so many big games and quite a few buzzer-beating game-winners, packed a lot into her four years in Chicago.

Of course, Delle Donne isn't the only former Sky superstar. Near at the top of the Sky's GOAT list are two of my personal favorites: center Sylvia Fowles, now with Minnesota and last year's WNBA most valuable player, and forward Candice Dupree, who was the Sky's first draft pick (2006) and is now with the Indiana Fever.

Guard Armintie Price had a great rookie season with the Sky in 2007 and won WNBA Rookie of the Year honors. Guard Epiphanny Prince had some magical moments here, and guards Courtney Vandersloot and Allie Quigley are current favorites. All are top players in franchise history, but not quite on the level of a GOAT.

So have at it Sky fans. It's been only 13 years since the Sky joined the WNBA, but some good players have graced us with their talents.

Who gets your vote for the Sky's GOAT?

pbabcock@dailyherald.com

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