Sky coach Weatherspoon ready to play through the rookies
There's a whole bunch of new at Sky training camp. New players, a new coaching staff, newfound interest in the team's rookie class.
Just three players return from last year's squad — guards Marina Mabrey and Dana Evans, along with center Elizabeth Williams. Technically, forward Isabelle Harrison also returns, but she missed all of last season with a knee injury.
At the same time the preseason buzz surrounding the Sky has likely never been higher. The team should benefit from the WNBA's Caitlin Clark bump by drafting two of her biggest college rivals — South Carolina center Kamilla Cardoso and LSU forward Angel Reese.
Will the Sky be good, though? After the third day of training camp practice, coach Teresa Weatherspoon voiced her belief.
“We want to be an exciting team to come and watch,” Weatherspoon said Wednesday in Deerfield. “I think everybody has that question about Kamilla, they have that question about Angel. They fear nothing, they fear absolutely nothing.
“They know they've been coached very well from the schools they played. They know the game, they understand the game, now it's about getting accustomed to the next level.”
Asked if there's a style of play she prefers, Weatherspoon made it clear she's expecting to play through the post. If the 6-foot-7 Cardosa isn't quite ready to dominate, there's also Williams, who averaged 9.8 points last summer. Former Notre Dame power forward Brianna Turner is one of the new additions.
“We can play many ways, because of who we have,” Weatherspoon said. “You don't see a lot of the traditional back-to-the-basket kind of basketball with your bigs. We have the opportunity to do that and then play off of that. Then we can play off what they do because they're going to demand attention, they're going to demand a double-team.”
Weatherspoon suggested the Sky can play through the post and still be a fast-paced team. Even while in the half-court, the screens, cuts and ball movement can be fast.
“We can play a fast-paced game because we have incredible athletes that can get up and down the floor,” she said. “Our bigs run the floor like guards run the floor. The pace is going to be important.”
Kahleah Copper, the Sky's top scorer the past three years, was traded to Phoenix. So the role of go-to scorer is up for grabs. Mabrey was second on the team at 15.0 points a game in 2023.
“I'm going to have to lead this team for sure, but that's something that I'm ready for and that's kind of the next step in my career,” Mabrey said. “If I can be a great leader for this team, then we can go and do great things together.”
There isn't much time to figure things out. The Sky has a preseason game Friday in Minnesota and will open the regular season on May 15 with the first of two games at Dallas.
Cardoso turned 23 on Tuesday, but since the Sky had the day off, the players finished Wednesday's practice with a brief birthday celebration.
“That's what it's about, to have fun,” Weatherspoon said. “It's fun in the building. But every day, we as coaches have to come in with the energy, the effort, the enthusiasm, the fire; willing to come in here and showing them we're about that smoke too.
“They love that. They thrive off of that. They know the target will be on their backs too.”
Twitter: @McGrawDHSports