Two Players May Have Played Themselves Off Sky’s Roster
Thursday was a big night for the Chicago Sky as the night before was when the team found out that they are officially eliminated from the playoffs this year. The 2021 WNBA champions took to the road for their game against last year's champions, the New York Liberty. It has been over two weeks since the Sky earned a win against anyone.
In front of a crowd of nearly 16,000 at the Barclays Center, Chicago found the way to upset one of the top teams in the WNBA again. The Sky played like it was 2021 when the team swept the season series against the Liberty (5-0).
Four of the five starters for the Sky scored in double digits. Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese delivered for Chicago with 20-point, 10-rebound performances against an Eastern Conference nemesis.
However, two players for the Chicago Sky struggled and might not be a part of the Sky's future after this season.
No future for Rebecca Allen and Kia Nurse in Chicago with the Sky.
The only two players to check into the game for Chicago that did not make a field goal were Kia Nurse and Rebecca Allen. Combined, they were on the floor for 31 minutes and contributed two points, two rebounds and one block, as well as one turnover.
Allen struggled to find her shot for 19 minutes. She missed all six of her shots including the four she took from behind the three-point arc.
On the season, the 32-year-old player is averaging under six points and three rebounds a game. Considering Thursday night was a game against in which she spent her first seven WNBA seasons with, Allen went cold.
The nine-year veteran has seen a seven percent drop in her shooting average this season. Allen was not alone on the struggle bus for the Sky.
Nurse, also failed to make a basket. Allen's teammate added two points came from the free throw line.
Just like Allen, this is also Nurse's original team in the league. The 29-year-old guard was a non-factor in the Sky's win over the Liberty.
In the month of August, Nurse has scored more than ten points only twice. In all of her other games, she has scored below her season average of 6.7 points per game.
Nurse has made a bad habit of not being involved during Chicago's victories. In the Sky's back-to-back wins against the Dallas Wings and Minnesota Lynx, the seven-year veteran accounted for three total points in a combined 33 minutes of play.
What's next for the Chicago Sky?
In terms of this season, they have remaining games including Saturday's rematch against the Connecticut Sun. The playoffs are no longer a possibility for this team.
Both Nurse and Allen are not under contract with the Sky after this season. The soon-to-be free agents may need to find another home if they can't produce for Chicago during the remainder of the 2025 WNBA season.
The two role players will have their chance at redemption at Wintrust Arena over the weekend. Tip-off is at 3:00 p.m. (CT). The Sky have split the two previous meetings this season against the Sun.
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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.