WNBA Draft 2016 Preview: Chicago Sky


2015 Record:
21-13; lost in first round of Playoffs

Key Offseason Moves:
None

Last Year’s Draft Picks:
1st round/5th overall: Cheyenne Parker
2nd round/17th overall: Betnijah Laney
2nd round/22nd overall: Aleighsa Welch

This Year’s Draft Picks:
1st round/10th overall
3rd round/34th overall

Season Highlights:

Team Needs:
Though they may have had a disappointing end to their 2015 campaign — a first-round playoff loss to the eventual Eastern Conference champion Fever — the Sky have a bright future around their chief building block: 2015 WNBA MVP Elena Delle Donne.

Delle Donne became the first MVP in Sky history last season, leading the WNBA in points per game (23.4) and finishing third in blocks (2.0 per game) and fourth in rebounding (8.4 per game). Entering her fourth season now at just 26 years of age, EDD should another special season on the horizon.

Surrounding Delle Donne with talent is the Sky’s paramount objective, and this year’s Draft is the best place to accomplish just that. The Sky could use another playmaker who doesn’t require many shots to be effective and whose first inclination is to pass. Courtney Vandersloot led the team with 5.8 assists per game a season ago, but Cappie Pondexter was a distant second, dishing out 2.1 dimes per game. If the Sky could bring in another ball handler to get teammates open looks and break down a defense, it would go a long way towards capturing their elusive first title in franchise history.