Sky Should Follow Fever's Blueprint

The Indiana Fever have a clear blueprint the Chicago Sky can follow.

Jul 20, 2024; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Team WNBA guard Caitlin Clark (22) dribbles alongside Team WNBA forward Angel Reese (5) against USA Women's National Team during the WNBA All Star Game at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images / Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

The Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever are both similar and incredibly different. 

During the 2023 season, both squads were dreadful. They hardly won games, and when they did, it was by the skin of their teeth. Similarly, the Sky ended their season at just 18-22. As for the Fever, they finished at 13-27. 

Ultimately, there’s always a bit of light at the end of the tunnel. For the Fever, being so bad allowed them to get their hands on Caitlin Clark. The Sky, of course, grabbed Angel Reese in the 2024 draft. 

Go ahead and name a team with better draft luck. Come on, we’ll wait. 

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Both teams now have generational players in their possession. By and large, Reese and Clark have been everything they needed. Clark scores from deep and sets her teammates up, while Reese cooks defenders in the paint and gets her hands on every rebound. Both are also two-time All-Stars. However, that’s where the parallels for those franchises stop. 

Indiana has put together a competitive team, one that doesn’t solely rely on Clark. Just take a look at this year for example. 

Across the board, Clark’s numbers are down this season, but it’s mostly due to groin and quad injuries. This year alone, she’s missed more than double the amount of games she’s played in. But, it isn’t that Indiana doesn’t need her, but they’ve been able to survive and somewhat thrive without her. 

Going 9-7 while Clark has been on the sidelines is impressive enough, but as of late, Indiana has been rolling, winning five straight while Clark cheers in her designer outfits. As for the Sky, they can’t win with Reese, and they certainly can’t win without her. 

In games when Reese didn’t suit up this year, the Sky have gone 0-5. And, to make matters worse, a nagging back injury will likely place her on the bench a few more times. 

For the Sky, the winning formula is right in front of them. At one point, the Fever were just as dreadful as they were, but getting Clark and surrounding her with talented players, allowed them to take their status to another level. Now, if Clark can eventually get healthy, making a deep playoff run is a realistic goal. 

The Sky, on the other hand, have dropped the ball. They have refused to give any substantial minutes to rookie Hailey Van Lith, who was the 11th pick in the 2025 draft. They also showed Chennedy Carter the door during the offseason, refusing to resign her, despite averaging 17.5 points a night. 

The 2025 season is practically over. What the Sky should do is look ahead and stop trying to pin all of the hopes of the franchise on one person's shoulders. 

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