Just 13 games into the 2025 season, the Chicago Sky have plummeted toward the bottom of the WNBA standings—something no one expected after their promising offseason moves. But the worst part? The team racked up back-to-back losses in less than 24 hours. Tough to digest, right? Now, following their latest loss to the Atlanta Dream, the Sky sit at 3-10, desperately searching for answers. So, what would you expect from head coach Tyler Marsh?
A detailed explanation of where things went wrong, right? Surprisingly, despite the 93–80 defeat to Atlanta, Marsh chose to applaud his team. In the postgame press conference, he downplayed the loss and highlighted the team’s progress instead. “Tonight was the most complete game we’ve played all year, including our two wins against Dallas and the win against Connecticut,” he said.
And honestly, he had a point. It was the most complete performance the Sky have delivered this season. For the first time all year, Chicago committed single-digit turnovers – just nine, a major milestone for a team averaging a league-worst 18 turnovers per game. Sure, Atlanta also finished with nine, but for the Sky, it marked a much-needed breakthrough. Just ask Ariel Atkins, who seemed the happiest about an offense that actually flowed!
Marsh: “Tonight was the most complete game we’ve played all year, including our two wins against Dallas and win against Connecticut.”
— Karli Bell (@KarliBell33) June 22, 2025
Well, the improvement didn’t stop there as Chicago showed signs of offensive rhythm, with four players scoring in double digits, led by Atkins herself, who had a season-high 29 points. Elizabeth Williams added 16 points, while Angel Reese and Rachel Banham chipped in 10 each. And Williams, who had urged the team to learn from their mistakes after the last loss, had words of optimism this time. “The mindset from the jump was an increased level of focus,” Elizabeth Williams said. “We did a lot of things right.” Yes, the focus was there, which resulted in a balanced attack that almost paid off, until the fourth quarter. And that is when the other half of their relentless weakness came to mock them.
The Sky held a lead heading into the final frame but couldn’t close it out, collapsing after giving up a barrage of three-pointers. The Dream guards hit six threes in the fourth alone, and Chicago had no answer. Thankfully, Marsh did not sugarcoat that. “We need to protect the 3-point line better. That continues to be our Achilles’ heel,” he admitted.
And he’s right. The Sky not only rank 11th in three-point shooting at 30.3%, but they’ve also struggled defensively on the perimeter. That’s how Chicago added yet another loss to their record as the Dream went on a four-minute three-point bender, throwing five triples into Chicago’s face. Paopao knocked down two, while Gray, Howard, and Hillmon each added their own to stretch the lead to 84-75 with 4:35 to play. Howard even had time to casually drain a wide-open corner three, as Jordin Canada made it better with two free throws to make it 91-80 with 41 seconds left. And while both teams shot an identical 42% from the field, but the Dream clearly got the “three is more than two” memo, going 16-of-33 from deep. The Sky? They hit just four triples – total.
But despite the loss, the rotations and improved ball control gave a glimpse of what this team could be, if they can just put it all together for four full quarters.
How did the Chicago Sky’s bench turn out to be a blessing in disguise?
No doubt, the Sky fell short in back-to-back games, but their recent performance made a bit of a difference as they stood on the edge of a win. And it wasn’t just the contribution from the starting lineup, as it was in their two wins against the Dallas Wings. This time, it was the bench, a solid bench contribution, that helped the Sky push through adversity.
Well, it all came together as the head coach ended up applying Dawn Staley-like techniques and made some notable rotation changes, most significantly starting Rachel Banham in place of Kia Nurse. While Banham didn’t light up the scoreboard, she brought steadiness to the point guard position and allowed Ariel Atkins to play off the ball, where she thrived with a 29-point performance. “Rachel’s a safe play in the sense that she does a good job taking care of the ball,” Marsh explained. “She’s experienced. She’s been in that position before.”
Chicago, USA, June 21, 2025: Angel Reese 5 Chicago Sky guards Kahleah Copper 2 Phoenix Mercury during the game between the Chicago Sky and Phoenix Mercury on Saturday June 21, 2025 at Wintrust Arena, Chicago, USA. NO COMMERCIAL USAGE Shaina Benhiyoun/SPP PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxBRAxMEX Copyright: xShainaxBenhiyoun/SPPx spp-en-ShBe-590A8133
And yes, Banham wasn’t the only one helping out. Elizabeth Williams also made a strong case for increased minutes. Coming off the bench, she contributed 16 points and helped slow down Atlanta’s powerful frontcourt. So, it makes sense why Marsh praised Williams’ ability to “create angles inside” and called her energy “a big boost,” showing how valuable her presence was on both ends of the floor.
That’s exactly how the bench added strength when the team needed it most. Angel Reese, dealing with a minor leg injury from Saturday, fought through the pain and grabbed a season-high 19 rebounds despite struggling from the field. So can we expect more of this? Well, it’s too early to predict. Let’s wait for the upcoming game against the LA Sparks!
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