Did Sky Make Right Guard Decision?
The Chicago Sky dropped their 29th game of the season to a team they have a storied history out West. The Phoenix Mercury beat the 2021 WNBA champion 83-79, perhaps extracting some revenge. After all, it was the Mercury who the Sky beat that year in the finals.
The roster for the Sky has undergone several changes since. Players like Kahleah Copper have found new homes, and Courtney Vandersloot came back to an old one. Multiple coaching changes have taken place, as well.
thank you, Mo! 🩵
— Chicago Sky (@chicagosky) July 28, 2025
ROSTER UPDATE: The Chicago Sky have waived Moriah Jefferson. pic.twitter.com/6vb6gqcTMZ
One of those roster changes affected guard Moriah Jefferson. She came to Chicago last year in the mid-season trade that saw Marina Mabrey get shipped to the Connecticut Sun for Jefferson and current Sky guard Rachel Banham.
Mabrey and Banham are still with their teams, but Jefferson was released a month ago. The Sky made another roster move when they signed Sevgi Uzun. But has Chicago seen an improvement that justifies the switch of personnel?
Has Uzun Done Better for Sky than Jefferson?
Last season, in the 14 games for the Sky after she was traded, Jefferson averaged nearly nine minutes per game, but just one point. She averaged twice as many points in two less minute when with the Sun.
Easily, Jefferson's biggest game of the season for Chicago came in the 86-49 loss against the Atlanta Dream back on July 16. The former Sun guard scored seven points while recording five rebounds and five assists.
Where turnovers normally affect the Sky's games, she committed just one turnover in 21 minutes of play. In the 35 total minutes, Jefferson was responsible for only one other turnover. She rarely saw the court, even with injuries to Courtney Vandersloot and Ariel Atkins.
ROSTER UPDATE: The Chicago Sky has signed guard Sevgi Uzun.
— Chicago Sky (@chicagosky) July 28, 2025
Welcome to Skytown, Sevgi! 🩵 pic.twitter.com/Xc4AZOpOLl
Once the Sky released Jefferson, Chicago scooped up Turkish-born guard Sevgi Uzun. Both players used to be a member of the Phoenix Mercury at one point, too.
Including the recent loss to the Mercury, Uzun has played in twelve games for the Sky. Her season-high with her new team is the same as Jefferson's (7). Yet, the Sky reserve guard has seven games with more than one turnover including an outing against Phoenix where she recorded five of them.
Uzun has not helped the Sky's turnover woes. She also isn't rectifying their shortcomings on offense. Jefferson or her replacement never were going to be the savior for Chicago this season.
However, it doesn't look like Sky general manager Jeff Pagliocca made this decision right in the middle of July. Go ahead and add it to the list.
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My name is Scott Conrad and I am a Contributor for the Chicago Sky with Sports Illustrated.com. I am also a Contributor with FanSided on NinerNoise, as well as Da Windy City. In addition, I am the Site Editor/Expert for The View from Avalon. I spent two seasons (2015 & 2016) with the Tampa Bay Times as a Correspondent covering high school football. I am a two-time published author with more work to come. In my teenage years, I started watching both MLS and WNBA start in 1996 and grow to be the juggernauts they are in their respective sports. Much love to the career on and off the court for fellow-Napervillian and former Sky forward Candace Parker. Outside of the sports journalism world, I am a travel volleyball coach. I accepted the Head Coach position with Greater Cincinnati Volleyball Club for their U13-2 team. In terms of active sports, I play volleyball, soccer, softball, kickball and train in mixed martial arts.