From one historic season to another, the WNBA’s 25th season is set to tip-off on May 14th. The league will commemorate the 25th season with a campaign, “Count It” and a distinguishing and purposeful 25th season logo. The WNBA will also celebrate the ways its players have shattered expectations and have stood at the forefront of advancement, inclusion, and social change for 25 years.

In the lead up to the season, WNBA.com will break down each team in the league. Next up: the Chicago Sky.

The Sky began using the tagline #NoCeiling last season as both a play on words on being the Sky, which is above all ceilings and being a team without limits. However, the past two seasons have not quite played out that way in Chicago as they have hit a ceiling in the WNBA playoffs – being eliminated in the second round in 2019 and the first round in 2020. As the Sky take the court in 2021 and look to ascend to the ranks of title contenders, they have an additional force to push on that glass ceiling – two-time WNBA MVP Candace Parker.

OOOO WEEEEEEEE Training Camp got off to a HOT start ? #skytown | #NoCeiling pic.twitter.com/Fqv70FITy8

— Chicago Sky (@chicagosky) April 25, 2021

2020 Season Recap

• 12-10, 6th in League
• Eliminated in first round of playoffs by Connecticut

Offseason Moves

No team made a bigger splash in free agency this year than Chicago with the addition of two-time MVP and reigning Defensive Player of the Year (yes, Shaq, she’s the DPOY) Candace Parker to the roster.

Welcome home, @Candace_Parker ?#skytown pic.twitter.com/itHhROQIjp

— Chicago Sky (@chicagosky) February 1, 2021

Parker enters her 14th WNBA season – and first not representing the Los Angeles Sparks – as the Naperville, Ill. native decided to join her hometown team in free agency. The Sky have a strong mix of veterans like Parker, Courtney Vandersloot and Allie Quigley as well as young talents like Diamond DeShields, Azura’ Stevens and Ruthy Hebard for coach James Wade to work with. Chicago already has one of the best playmakers in WNBA history in Vandersloot (who became the first player in WNBA history to average double-digit assists in 2020) and now add a versatile talent in Parker that makes plays for herself and her teammates.

Dude YOU JUST AGED me in one tweet. The sincerity was there but you could have left age 10 out ???????????? https://t.co/xgsqdAzafN

— Candace Parker (@Candace_Parker) May 3, 2021

One Big Question Heading Into 2021

Is Parker the missing piece that takes the Sky from playoff team to championship team? The Sky have made one run to the Finals (2014) in its 15-year history. Can the Sky live up to their #NoCeiling tagline and make 2021 a truly Sweet 16? As the Sky learned the past two years, the single-elimination rounds of the WNBA Playoffs can be brutal – remember their heartbreaking second-round loss in 2019 thanks to a 40-foot heave from Las Vegas’ Dearica Hamby in the closing seconds.

Chicago has finished fifth and sixth, respectively, each of the past two seasons, forcing them into two single-elimination rounds each time. Getting into the top four (or even the top two) and earning a bye past one (or both) of the single-elimination games will go a long way towards Chicago’s ultimate goal of competing for the WNBA title.

WNBA Draft Ranking

Following the 2021 WNBA Draft, Michelle Smith ranked every team’s draft decisions. She rated Chicago sixth out of the 12 WNBA teams.

ok….. but…can we say…

SHYTOWN? @shylaheal1 pic.twitter.com/Fqy0og1RBU

— Chicago Sky (@chicagosky) April 16, 2021

“The Sky surprised a bit by taking Australian Shyla Heal as their point guard heir apparent to Courtney Vandersloot in the first round, given the big collegiate names that were available. But James Wade clearly valued Heal’s international experience. And picking up Natasha Mack of Oklahoma State, the NCAA blocked shots leader this season, in the second round was a bonus. Both could make the final roster.”

Where to Watch

Chicago opens the 2021 season against Washington in DC on Saturday, May 15 at 1 pm/ET on ABC.