This is part of a 12-team series of fantasy women's basketball previews leading up to the 2022 WNBA season. For more information on ESPN's newest fantasy game, check out how to play fantasy women's basketball.
Chicago Sky
Head coach: James Wade (fourth season)
2021 record: 16-16
2021 offensive efficiency: (100.9, seventh in WNBA)
2021 defensive efficiency: (99.4, sixth)
2021 pace: 97.5 (third)
Jump ahead: Offseason moves | Key stats | Top fantasy options | Sleeper
About the Sky
When Candace Parker joined the Sky last offseason, the expectations were ... sky high. But during the regular season, they played at a pedestrian .500 pace that had them enter the postseason in the middle of the pack. Then, they flipped the proverbial switch in the playoffs and went on to win the WNBA championship after all.
They have goals to play much better this year. In Parker's words, when asked what the team's goals were for this season, she responded: "Not suck in the regular season again this year. We sucked in the regular season last year."
A better performance in the regular season would mean better fantasy production for the group, an outcome we fully endorse.
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Offseason moves
The biggest moves the Sky made this offseason were to re-sign several of their own key free agents. Rising star Kahleah Copper, fresh off her huge postseason run and Finals MVP, agreed to a two-year deal to stay with the Sky. And, after rumors that she would potentially leave the Sky in the offseason, distributor extraordinaire and assists queen Courtney Vandersloot signed a one-year deal to remain in Chicago.
In addition, her wife and the team's 3-point specialist, Allie Quigley, also signed a one-year agreement to continue launching treys for at least another season. Along with Parker, the Sky return the core and foundation of their championship-winning squad from a season ago.
The Sky did have some personnel turnover this season. They traded former All-Star Diamond DeShields in a three-way deal with the Mercury and Fever for Julie Allemand and Phoenix's 2023 first-round pick. Allemand is a point guard and had a promising rookie season in the bubble in 2020, but she sat out 2021 to play overseas. She is likely the ultimate heir apparent to Vandersloot, but with both on the squad, Allemand should be in a backup role off the bench.
The Sky also signed 2019 WNBA Finals MVP Emma Meesseman, who should get many of the center minutes abandoned when Stefanie Dolson left to sign with the Liberty. Both Allemand and Meesseman showed they have the upside to produce bigger numbers, but on a deep Sky team, their fantasy production is likely less than it was in their previous stops.
Key stats
The Sky were an entirely different team in the postseason than the regular season last year, making it difficult to estimate their upside for this regular season. They were middle of the pack on both offense and defense during the 2021 season, but in the postseason their offensive rating of 105.0 points per 100 possessions was higher than any team that played more than one game, and their defensive rating of 94.2 points allowed per 100 possessions was the best in the league.
If they can maintain that level of production in the regular season this year, it would be an indication that their offense is working efficiently, which should translate to more fantasy hoops success.
Top fantasy options
Candace Parker, C/F (32.8 projected FP/G): Parker joined the Sky last season and immediately helped bring a championship to her home-state team. Even in what will be her 15th WNBA season, Parker is still one of the most well-rounded players in the league. Last season, she was the only player in the league among the top 15 in each of rebounds/game, assists/game and blocks/game. She's also still a low-to-middle double-digit scorer who knocks down a 3-pointer and might just grab a steal per game as well. Parker missed about a quarter of last season with ankle injuries, her second extended absence in the past three seasons due to ankle problems. She might be a bit of an injury risk at this point in her career, but her production is there when healthy that she's still worthy of a high draft pick.
Courtney Vandersloot, G (29.6 FP/G): The consummate point guard, Vandersloot led the WNBA with 8.6 assists per game last season ... and has led the league every season since 2017 while averaging 8.8 APG. Two seasons ago, she averaged a points-assists double-double, a rarity in the WNBA, in which points-rebounds double-doubles are more common, and even in her 12th season, double-digit assists is her realistic upside. She also finished third in the league in steals last season and is a consistent double-digit scorer who knocks down more than a 3-pointer per game and adds about 3.5 rebounds per game to boot.
Emma Meesseman, C (25.2 FP/G): Meesseman is a unique case in that her team won the WNBA championship in the last season she played and she'll be playing this season for the defending WNBA champ ... but those two teams are different. Meesseman was an integral part of the 2020 Mystics squad, notching a career-high 4.5 assists to round out her 13.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.1 steals, 0.8 blocks and 0.7 3PG line in 31.7 minutes per game. She then sat the 2021 season because of fatigue and signed with the champion Sky this offseason to help replace the production of Stefanie Dolson, who left for the Liberty. The Sky have a deep enough lineup that Meeseman isn't expected to be able to replicate the minutes and role she had with the Mystics, but she should still get enough time to produce a fantasy-worthy line.
Kahleah Copper, G/F (24.2 FP/G): Copper's past two regular seasons have indicated that she's settled into her role as a scoring wing; her fantasy production was extremely consistent from the 2020 season to the 2021 season. With that said, she upped her numbers significantly in the postseason last year ... up to 17.7 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 1.9 APG, 1.2 SPG and 1.1 3PG over 10 games that culminated with her being named Finals MVP. At 27 years old, Copper could be reaching her peak playing seasons, so she has upside to potentially increase her role and production this season. Copper arrived to camp late this season, as she finished her playing commitments with Perfumeria Avenida in Spain.
Allie Quigley, G (23.8 FP/G): Quigley is the long-distance shooter/scorer on the Sky, and has played that role for years. She averaged 2.1 3PG last season to tie for seventh in the league, and she has made at least 2.1 3PG with at least 13.2 PPG in five straight seasons. Quigley tends to combine for about five rebounds and assists per game, with about another combined steal and block. She is entering her 15th season and saw her minutes drop last season as she moved into a top reserve role, but she should maintain a similar role this season. The offensive talent of her teammates is a boon for Quigley, as they draw opposing defensive attention and open up space for her to knock down good looks. Her 45.4 3P% last season represented an 11-year high for her and the highest she's ever shot in a full season.
Sleeper
Julie Allemand, G (16.5 FP/G): Allemand had a strong rookie season in 2020, averaging 8.5 PPG, 5.8 APG, 4.5 RPG, 2.0 3PG and 1.1 SPG in 32.5 MPG for the Fever, but she opted out of the 2021 season to play overseas. She will join the Sky this season, though she's another player who missed the start of training camp to finish her playing commitment overseas. Allemand will be the backup point guard to Vandersloot, which will limit her minutes and cap her upside. Allemand has shown that she has the ability to produce in a larger role, however, so if that opportunity arises this season, she has fantasy starter upside.