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CHICAGO — Former NBA center Enes Kanter Freedom filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the Chicago Sky, the City of Chicago, and the municipal authority managing Wintrust Arena. The 15-page complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, claims that arena officials and local law enforcement violated his First Amendment rights by ejecting and indefinitely banning him over political speech.

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CHAMPAIGN — Illinois kicks off its 2026 season tonight by hosting UAB at Gies Memorial Stadium. Head coach Bret Bielema's squad enters the season opener looking to break in several key personnel changes, highlighted by a new starting quarterback and a completely redesigned defensive system.

With kickoff hours away, head coach Bret Bielema is fully embracing the energy of the new season. Addressing the media on Tuesday, Bielema emphasized his eagerness to see how the team’s offseason changes translate to Saturdays, specifically pointing to the new-look passing attack and the emergence of specialist Ethan Moczulski. Known affectionately as Chow, the returning kicker has seized the full-time starting role to anchor both the field goal and kickoff units.

The most significant change on the defensive side of the ball is the introduction of an aggressive 3-3-5 alignment. While Illinois utilized a variation of this formation on the majority of its snaps last fall, Bielema emphasized that Hauck's system is far more attacking, relying on exotic blitz packages and constant pressure rather than passive zone coverage. This schematic shift is perfectly tailored to showcase the versatility of standout safety Matthew Bailey, who is poised to play a hybrid role where he can routinely impact plays near the line of scrimmage.

Illinois will break in a new primary specialist this fall, though it is a player the fan base already knows well. Standout kicker David Olano transferred to Texas A&M over the winter, leaving behind big shoes to fill after anchoring the kicking game during a dominant 2025 season. Stepping into the vacant starting role is veteran transfer Ethan Moczulski. After spending last year handling kickoff duties for Washington, Moczulski returns for a second stint with the Illini to take over full-time place-kicking responsibilities.

The biggest change for the offense arrives under center. Following three seasons as the starting quarterback, Luke Altmyer departed for the NFL. To fill the vacancy, Bielema turned to the transfer portal and landed fifth-year senior Katin Houser, who started every game for East Carolina last year. Coming off a highly productive season in which he threw for 3,300 yards, 19 touchdowns, and only six interceptions, Houser takes over the controls of the Illini offense for the 2026 season.

By earning a vote from his teammates to become a team captain, Houser has effortlessly stepped into the leadership void left in the quarterback room. His professional demeanor has drawn high praise from the coaching staff and roster alike. Teammates frequently note his commanding presence, his dedication to studying film, and his commitment to holding everyone accountable. When addressing the media, Houser embraced the weight of his role, calling it a true honor to lead the Illinois offense and promising to validate that trust through rigorous game-day preparation.

Barry Lunney Jr. has brought the same meticulous development style to Katin Houser that helped unlock Luke Altmyer's potential in recent seasons. Rather than just forcing Houser to memorize the playbook, the offensive coordinator spent the offseason teaching the quarterback the situational mechanics behind every play design. This deep strategic connection gives Houser the confidence to slow the game down, manage the offense with ease, and play with absolute clarity.

Hudson Clement is back to lead the receiving corps as he enters his second season with Illinois. In his debut year with the Illini, he proved to be a reliable target, racking up 36 catches for 454 yards and three touchdowns. Now fully settled into the offense, he is poised for a massive role. Bret Bielema considers Clement a premier playmaker and noted that his on-field connection with new signal-caller Katin Houser is already clicking rapidly.

“Huddy’s got some gamesmanship that’s pretty awesome,” Bielema said. “You really saw it come out last season and I’m super excited. I think him and Houser have kind of built a little bit of a relationship here the last two weeks, and that’s a really fun thing to see grow.”

Fans attending the opener will also see a newly upgraded stadium environment. Illinois is debuting a modernized sound system, updated lighting, and a new scoreboard designed to reflect vibrant orange hues. Bielema recently viewed the stadium updates firsthand and noted that these enhancements will help engage fans while providing extra motivation for the players on the field.

“I don’t take part in crowd interactions, but I know there’s a lot of really cool things I’ve seen,” Bielema shared. “Last night, I saw the entrance video. I saw some things we’re going to do with this whole play on ‘liquid orange.’ There are some cool things I think the fans will really enjoy. And then to see our players react to that at night games should be pretty cool.”

Despite the hometown excitement, Bielema is not overlooking UAB. He credited Blazers head coach Alex Mortensen for his tactical ability and knack for preparing his team for high-profile matchups. Under Mortensen, the Blazers are expected to place a heavy emphasis on establishing a physical running game using multiple backs. They are led on offense by returning quarterback Ryder Burton, while their defensive unit undergoes a massive reset under newly hired defensive coordinator Todd Grantham.

“You want to have that first play be as good as it possibly can, but life is always about how you respond to adversity,” Bielema stated. “And there are going to be some adverse moments. UAB is a really good football team. They are a football team that’s very well prepared. I am quite sure they’ll have a great game plan coming into us.”

The task becomes slightly more challenging for Illinois with wide receiver Jayshon Platt and linebacker Daniel Brown ruled out for Week 1 due to soft tissue injuries. Despite those absences, the Illini still enter the matchup as solid favorites to secure a home-opening victory. Navigating early-season injuries and breaking in a new schematic system will provide an immediate test, but for Bielema and his squad, the journey through a demanding schedule starts with a single step, and the execution begins under the lights tonight.

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CHICAGO — Today’s announcement from the Chicago Sky shutting down Skylar Diggins for the remainder of the season put a definitive seal on what had already become the worst-kept secret in the league. Yet, the true story unfolded during Diggins’ national media availability session, where Diggins delivered a transparent breakdown of the convergence between her physical rehabilitation process, systemic resource gaps within the Sky organization, and a complex relationship with the coaching staff.

While many speculated that Diggins chose to sit out as a protest to her sudden benching back in July, the medical reality tells a completely different story. Diggins’ season was compromised long before today’s announcement. Following surgery last October to repair a torn meniscus, her return to the court was an uphill climb from the start. Her stint with Unrivaled marked her first time running at full speed since the procedure, an adjustment that ultimately triggered severe, chronic pain in advance of the season.

“I had been playing through a lot out there,” Diggins revealed, dismantling the holdout narrative. “Obviously, we had already been doing testing well before that road trip. I was very limited in practice. I was limited in shootarounds. I was supposed to be on minutes restriction even before that road trip. I see how a lot of those things could seem like that after reflecting. But you know, I hadn’t been feeling like myself out there.”

Despite the pain, Diggins initially pushed back against sitting out, driven by the belief that the heavily short-handed Sky, missing key pieces like Rickea Jackson and Azurá Stevens, were on the verge of turning a corner. “I really didn’t want to sit out or to be on minutes restriction, especially how we were. I felt like on the cusp of winning a lot of those damn games.”

The most damning revelation from Diggins’ media availability was her forced reliance on external care. While her teammates traveled, Diggins had to leave Chicago and head to her alma mater, Notre Dame, to secure the biometric and biokinetic testing equipment necessary to ensure her recovery was moving in the right direction.

This dynamic stands as a glaring indictment of the Chicago Sky’s current infrastructure. The franchise has been plagued by severe construction delays on its highly anticipated new practice facility, leaving players without a proper professional home base. Diggins directly tied this systemic lack of resources to the team’s massive health crisis, suggesting that leading the league in missed games is a structural failure rather than bad luck.

“The biggest frustration with me was obviously the practice facility and the resources there,” Diggins stated bluntly. “Never feeling like we had a home base. Sometimes we have limits or restrictions on how many hours we could be there, and that affects everything when you’re trying to be a pro.”

When pressed on whether the lack of professional resources directly caused the team’s severe injury rate, Diggins refused to shield the organization: “Leading the league in injuries, I think is not coincidental. Obviously, the more resources that you have, the more you can stay healthy, in my opinion.”

What makes Diggins’ resilience more striking is the backdrop of her personal life. For the past two seasons, the veteran guard has been navigating a divorce while raising two young children as a working mother.

“It’s an incredibly heavy, layered process,” she shared. “You’re raising two kids, and so it’s very layered. When I come to the gym, I done did 50 things, and we all have lives to live, so you try to show up and compartmentalize those things.”

For a player who views the basketball court as her ultimate sanctuary, being forced to the sidelines has been a unique form of mental torture. “The game is a release to me, so I would never just voluntarily take myself away from the game. As a competitor, that’s been my biggest frustration: missing out on these damn environments. I mean, it’s been electric in these arenas. I love basketball, and I hate missing out.”

Despite the setbacks and the injury depleted roster, Chicago found themselves in a continuous string of down to the wire battles all year. When asked about the evolving culture of grit established by the group through these clutch moments, Diggins pointed out that this resilient DNA is exactly what the modern WNBA demands.

“I mean that’s something that you have to embody in the W,” Diggins told CSOM Sports. “I think that’s what the games are coming down to. We’re not unique in that sense. A lot of games have been coming down to the wire. They’ll continue to be like that from now to the end of the season to the last game, it’s just extremely competitive. And the way that these teams are put together, anybody could beat anybody, and I think we’re seeing that. I think it’s been great for the fans. Obviously, it’s promising being in those games, but we have to dissect what’s going on and why we aren’t winning those games. We know we can compete with everybody, with anybody. I think that’s the mindset that you have to have coming in here. You don’t fear anybody, but you respect everybody, but you don’t fear anybody. And with the mix of our team, it doesn’t surprise me. With the competitors that we have, it doesn’t surprise me that we’ve been in a lot of these games. I think it’s just more dissecting why we aren’t able to finish them.”

Despite previous speculation regarding her future in Chicago, Diggins firmly shut down any chatter regarding trade requests, stating that her current contract remains the focus.

“The decision that we made as far as shutting it down for the season has nothing to do with next year,” she emphasized. “We’ve never had any talks with the organization or I about trades or wanting a trade. I haven’t had or expressed any desire to not talk about me in a Chicago Sky jersey next year.”

Her immediate blueprint for recovery includes a return to Unrivaled this winter to recapture her rhythm and conditioning. Furthermore, her optimism for the Sky’s future is anchored in concrete. Next week, she is scheduled to tour the progress of Chicago’s highly anticipated, brand new, dedicated practice facility, a luxury she hopes will finally unleash the team’s true on paper potential.

“I expect that next year we won’t lead the league in games missed to injuries,” Diggins concluded. “We’ll be able to put together the full vision of what we wanted it to look like with all those resources.”

During today’s session, Diggins did little to hide the ongoing distance between herself and the coaching staff. When explicitly asked by reporters to evaluate Sky head coach Tyler Marsh’s growth as a coach and whether she believed in his long term vision, Diggins delivered a chilly but professional deflection. She noted that she has only known Marsh for this single, fractured season, point blank stating: “I haven’t spent as much time as I wanted to as a player under him to talk about, prop up, or evaluate.”

While Diggins left the door open for her contract year by stating she has no immediate desire to play anywhere other than Chicago, her future with the franchise feels highly conditional. It is a relationship balanced precariously on promises. For Diggins to fully commit her remaining prime years to the Sky, the organization must deliver on its delayed infrastructure, bring its medical resources to elite standards, and bridge an evident philosophical divide between the veteran guard and its head coach.

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CHICAGO — The transition from college standout to WNBA rookie is rarely a smooth, linear path. For Chicago Sky rookie Gabriela Jaquez, her debut season has been a lesson in adaptation, mental resilience, and finding pockets of peace outside the arena. From shifting game-day routines to handling the unpredictable nature of playing time, Jaquez is anchoring her rookie year in preparation and perspective.

Stepping into a professional environment alters a player’s daily routine, but Jaquez found that her time at UCLA provided a reliable foundation. The habits built in college have translated directly to the pros, though the structure of game day itself has shifted toward individual accountability.

“I think the game prep has seamlessly evolved from college to now,” Jaquez told CSOM Sports. “I think that the habits that were instilled in me in college have just been super transferable, and I think that the warm-ups of the W [WNBA], like in college, you’re warming up for an hour, basically with your whole entire team. It’s not by yourself, but I think it’s cool that we can warm up on our own focusing on our own little skill work and then get to come together for like however long it is 20 minutes to get water for the game.”

A significant addition to that professional routine is specialized film study. Jaquez has utilized the gaps in the WNBA’s pre-game schedule to dive into tape, working closely with the coaching staff to refine her approach.

“That’s obviously different than college. I’m doing film on game days after I warm up. But I actually really enjoyed it, especially because I have a lot of time between after I warm up till after the team warm up, but have like an hour. So no, it’s great to do film. I think Kelly [Faris] has been great for me, just of her insight on how she can help me get better. And I think that she really understands me as a basketball player. And so the tips that she gives me, the critiques, enforces what I’m doing better has been really helpful.”

Beyond the physical adjustments, the mental hurdle of the WNBA requires a shift in expectations. In a league with compressed rosters and elite talent on every bench, playing time can fluctuate wildly from night to night. For Jaquez, handling those ups and downs means leaning on mental tools learned in college, specifically focusing on her breathing to reset.

“I think that understanding and coming into the W [WNBA], knowing that it’s not going to be perfect,” she reflects. “And I think going into college, my freshman year, I was so excited. I was like, ‘Oh my God, everything’s so perfect! Like it’s so fun.’ And then you realize it’s not, and that’s just the reality of life. Anything you’re gonna do, but knowing that I can control what I can control, and focusing on that, and putting in the work, so I have confidence when I’m out there on the court, and just having trust in myself and my teammates, and knowing I’m not alone out there.”

That team-first mentality remains her guiding principle, allowing her to stay locked in and impactful regardless of how many minutes she sees on the court.

“Knowing it’s not gonna be easy. Nothing’s handed to you, and obviously, I have had my ups and downs, more playing time, less playing time, but knowing that every game is going to bring something different, and I always have to stay ready. And we have a lot of guards on this team, but when I go in, how can I make a difference, and how can I bring a spark or make an impact? That’s just the mentality. I think just continuing to try to just control what I can control, focus on my breathing and my resetting and using the tools that I learned in college.”

Even with a grounded mindset, the sheer reality of playing in the WNBA brings moments of disbelief. Sharing the floor with icons she grew up watching, and returning to familiar childhood arenas as a professional athlete, has provided a series of surreal rookie year moments.

“Even playing here at Barclays versus the Liberty. Like they’re like a great team, great organization, and you would see them, and you’re like, oh my God, like Breanna Stewart, like Sabrina [Ionescu], like I was on her AAU team, that’s kind of like crazy,” Jaquez told CSOM Sports. “Playing A’ja Wilson, the Aces. I mean, playing in Crypto and playing where I grew up, watching a lot of games. It’s just like I’ve had a lot of those moments where I was just like, ‘Oh my God, I can’t believe it!’ Like, I’ll see stuff about the W [WNBA]. I’m like, ‘Wait, I’m in the WNBA.’ I still feel sometimes as an outsider. Sometimes I’m like, ‘Wait, I know these people.’ I don’t know. It’s fun.”

To balance the intense pressure of her professional life, Jaquez recognizes the necessity of completely unplugging from the sport when she leaves the facility. This season, she has focused on hobbies like crafting and reading to give her mind a break.

“I think that it’s really important to have hobbies outside of basketball, and I like to do crafts,” she shared. “I’ve been scrapbooking, trying to do it for my senior year of college, trying to do it. I have not done as much as I wanted to, but it’s okay. And then, I have a Kindle that I got for graduation. I’ve read a little bit. Again, need to do it more, but at least I’m starting.”

Ultimately, Jaquez’s rookie campaign has been defined by her capacity to grow through the adversity of the season. By blending her structured collegiate habits with an open mind, she is actively parsing what it means to be a professional. With a scrapbook waiting on her desk, a Kindle nearby, and a fierce determination to maximize every second on the court, Jaquez is no longer just watching the WNBA from the outside; she is actively cementing her place within it.

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CHICAGO — Kamilla Cardoso continues to solidify her position as a foundational piece for the Chicago Sky under head coach Tyler Marsh. During an exclusive interview with CSOM Sports, the third year center addressed her long term career objectives, including her community initiatives in Brazil, the shifting landscape of her native national team, and the adaptations driving her success in the league.

Cardoso noted that establishing youth basketball camps in Brazil remains a personal goal, though short off-season windows present a hurdle. “That’s one of my main goals, just be able to give back to the community in Brazil,” Cardoso said. “Sometimes it’s hard because I don’t be there long, but that’s something that’s on a plan.”

On the international stage, Cardoso is adjusting to a younger roster structure within the Brazilian National Team alongside the veteran presence of players like Damiris Dantas. She expressed confidence in the direction of the program as it prepares for the next cycle leading up to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

“The future of Brazil basketball is bright,” Cardoso stated. “This year was the first year that we really got a different team. They changed everything. They got younger players, so I think that’s really important because it gives them confidence.”

Cardoso highlighted the upside of rising prospect Manuella Alves, an University of Illinois commit recovering from an ACL injury, as well as standout Micaela Cavalcanti. “I feel like the future for the young players, this new generation, they’re coming in hot,” Cardoso said. “They’re bringing quality, they’re getting experience, so it’s just gonna be amazing to have them, it’s gonna be amazing to be able to play with them.”

She noted that Alves in particular has a massive ceiling. “Just watching her play, she’s a great player,” Cardoso said. “She’s one of the biggest prospects of Brazil right now. And when she’s healthy and fully recovered, she’s gonna be great and help the international team and Illinois.”

However, she noted that international competitive consistency remains a critical challenge for the roster if they want to secure a spot in the 2028 Olympics. “I think Brazil has a lot of ups and downs,” Cardoso explained. “And we just got to find players that meet the level to play hard and go out there and defend Brazil.”

Regarding her individual expectations as the program’s focal point for the next cycle, her approach remains clear. “I’m gonna do what I gotta do, whatever my commitment is for me to win games,” Cardoso said. “I’m going to do whatever to win games, so whatever I gotta do.”

Domestically, the Chicago Sky’s identity revolves around the frontcourt pairing of Cardoso and Azurá Stevens. Operating alongside a stretch four has opened interior lanes and disrupted opposing defensive schemes. “Z [Stevens] is a stretch four. She’s gonna stretch the floor which makes it much easier because it keeps them from doubling when you have a post player who can shoot and play inside,” Cardoso explained. “When they double, she gets the cut and gets a free layup or shoots a three.”

Cardoso’s development and efficiency aligns with previous declarations from the front office. Sky General Manager Jeff Pagliocca designated Cardoso as one of the roster’s most irreplaceable components. “It feels amazing,” Cardoso said regarding the organizational support. “It just shows that they trust me when they say good things. It feels good.”

Cardoso credited Coach Marsh’s system for maximizing her individual efficiency, allowing her to consistently generate high percentage looks. When asked where his system helped her grow the most, she noted, “Overall, I think offensively and defensively, I think the system does a great job just putting players in the right position and with an individual, you get the best shot.”

She also pointed to Marsh’s ability to balance internal accountability with strong player support as a primary driver of the locker room culture. “At the end of the day, that’s his job, but he knows how to balance it pretty well,” Cardoso said. “He’s always there for us, always a loving support. But when it’s time to handle business on the court, he’s always gonna help us and let us know what’s right and what’s wrong.”

Looking ahead, Cardoso projects as a pillar for the new era of Sky Basketball. Her rare combination of a 6-foot-7 frame, elite mobility, and efficient post play gives the front office a competitive advantage when recruiting perimeter talent, as Cardoso’s interior gravity naturally creates open looks. When defenses collapse, her passing ability allows her to punish double-teams with precise kick-out passes. As a true two-way anchor, Cardoso’s growth has solidified her position in the paint as the foundation of the Sky's long-term identity and future success.

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BRIDGEVIEW — Chicago State University dropped its inaugural football season debut, falling 44-28 to the Roosevelt University Lakers at SeatGeek Stadium on Saturday.

The game marked a historic milestone as Chicago State debuted as an independent program in the Division I FCS rankings, hosting the Division II Lakers in the first football game in school history. Head coach Bobby Rome, tasked with building the program from scratch since its approval in December 2025, faced immense pressure. As the only Division I football team in the city of Chicago, and with backing from the Chicago Bears, the stakes were high. However, the players fully understood the magnitude of the moment.

“I was excited for our young men because one thing I noticed is that they understand everything that goes along with this,” Coach Rome told CSOM Sports. “As a head coach, I never had to explain to them what this was about. They totally got it from day one. The first thing they understood was that they wanted to set their own expectations. I am super proud of these guys and eager to get better so we can represent this city the right way.”

Despite the Cougars’ historic day, Roosevelt spoiled the party. The Lakers handed Chicago State its first loss in program history behind a stellar performance from quarterback Tony Chahino, who threw for 236 yards and three touchdowns. Running back Jaden Bossie anchored the offense, rushing 22 times for 141 yards and a touchdown, while adding five receptions for 91 yards and another score. Roosevelt’s defense suffocated the Cougars, forcing four turnovers from a young, inexperienced Chicago State squad.

The Cougars initially got off to a strong start, taking a 7-3 lead courtesy of a 5-yard rushing touchdown by Michael Dabney. However, the Lakers quickly recaptured the momentum, scoring on back-to-back possessions. Chahino connected with Bossie on a 19-yard touchdown pass before finding Dylan Hendee for a 5-yard score. The Lakers then extended their lead to 24-7 when Keron Pryor intercepted Ashton Pannell and returned it for a touchdown.

Showing true poise, freshman quarterback Ashton Pannell responded by throwing a 27-yard touchdown pass to Kymari Gray. Pannell finished his debut 29-of-40 for 264 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions. Coach Rome emphasized that despite the mistakes, the young quarterback has a bright future.

“One, he has to protect the football,” Rome stated. “We have to continue to coach him up, but I think he handled everything with a lot of composure for a young man.”

The Lakers broke the game open in the second half with a 54-yard rushing touchdown by Bossie. The Chicago State offense stalled in the third quarter, with three consecutive possessions ending in two punts and a fumble. The Cougars found a spark when Roosevelt’s Carl Bew muffed a punt, setting up a 14-yard touchdown pass from Pannell to Mark Harris.

Any hopes of a comeback were dashed in the fourth quarter when Chahino capitalized on another Pannell interception, connecting with CJ Hood for a 27-yard touchdown to push the Roosevelt lead to 44-21. The Lakers successfully managed the clock for the remainder of the quarter to secure the victory.

Looking ahead to Game 2, Coach Rome highlighted ball security and line play as critical areas for improvement. “We have got to protect the football,” Rome told CSOM Sports. “We have to do a way better job up front on both sides of the ball in the trenches. We invested a lot there, those guys have played a lot of football, and we are expecting a return on that investment. We have got to get those guys rolling and challenge them.”

Cougar leaders, including linebacker Armani Itote and wide receiver Kymari Gray, echoed their coach, noting that discipline must improve if they want to win games.

“We have got to get our young guys to really just buy in and understand what is at stake,” Itote told CSOM Sports. “We can lead by example and lead vocally, but they have to do what is right because this game is about the little things. The game rewards teams that handle business like professionals, and we were not handling business like professionals behind the scenes.”

Gray doubled down on Itote’s comments. “It’s the little things, like being at practice, everyone keeping their foot behind the line during walkthroughs, and nobody talking while the coach is talking. We have got to be more disciplined, and we are going to instill that into this team.”

Chicago State shifts its focus to its first road test against UT Martin on Saturday, September 5th. With the pressure of the historic opener behind them, the Cougars can now focus entirely on football and making the adjustments needed to secure their first program win.

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BROOKLYN— The Chicago Sky enter the multi-week FIBA World Cup break following an 85-66 loss to the New York Liberty. While a grueling, injury-plagued season has tested the team’s depth and endurance, the upcoming pause offers an opportunity to heal, recalibrate, and establish a foundation for the franchise’s future.

The physical grind of the WNBA season has visibly worn on the roster. In the postgame huddle, veteran leader Courtney Vandersloot made sure her teammates understood the dual importance of resting now to fuel a strong finish later.

“We know that we have a long break now, that everybody to enjoy their time and physically rest, mentally rest, and be ready to come back with a different mindset,” Vandersloot told CSOM Sports. “That was basically what was said. We’re all a little beaten up probably everybody throughout the team, and we could use a break physically, but also mentally. And we’re gonna have it. But we have four more games left, and so I just want to make sure we all know to get rest, but we got to come back and have a good mindset.”

Coach Marsh echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that while the break is a break from the floor, it is not the conclusion of their season.

“Enjoy the break first and foremost. Enjoy the break,” Marsh told CSOM Sports regarding his pre-break messaging. “We all need time away throughout the season, but part of the messaging too is that this isn’t the end of our season either. There’s still four games left, so we want to be able to regroup and refresh ourselves from a mental standpoint and from a physical standpoint, but still coming back with the mindset of finishing the season strong.”

For Marsh personally, the break offers a rare chance to step away from the grueling coaching schedule. “Be with my family,” Marsh shared of his plans. “I got a pregnant wife at home, a three-year-old son that just started school. So I’ll be in Chicago spending time with them.”

Managing health remains the top priority for the Sky’s staff. Vandersloot, who has been battling through an ongoing ACL recovery process, opened up about the difficulty of the schedule and how the coaching staff is helping her navigate the physical strain.

“Yeah, hanging in there,” Vandersloot told CSOM Sports. “The games come fast and often, but Tyler’s been able to keep my minutes low, and so that helps a lot, but like I said, we’re all kind of beaten up. We’re all trying to hang in there, do this together. So, physically, I feel okay.”

The break will also serve as a critical evaluation period for injured players like DiJonai Carrington. Rather than rushing her back, Marsh plans to utilize the time off for rehabilitation.

“I mean, a lot of this break too is for our injured players to continue to heal as much as possible,” Marsh said regarding Carrington’s minutes and availability. “So we’ll reevaluate. Obviously, continue to work with her throughout the break, and then evaluate her status for that last part of the season.”

One of the bright spots of the season has been the development of rookie guard Sydney Taylor. As opponents have adjusted their defensive scouting reports to limit her impact, Taylor has had to learn how to deal with heavy help defenses and traps.

“I mean, I think I’ve gotten better,” Taylor told CSOM Sports when asked about adjusting to opposing gameplans. “There’s still room for improvement, of course. Sometimes, I think a lot of us you can only just see tunnel vision. So just making the right reads.”

The Sky have experienced a turbulent win-loss record, but Coach Marsh remains firmly focused on the progress his squad has achieved beneath the surface. When asked about the gaps between the team’s current state and their ultimate desired state, Marsh highlighted the resilience of his group.

“I think it’s just been a tough season,” Marsh said. “I think we’ve seen so many moments throughout this season, whether we’ve won games or whether we’ve lost closeness, of inching towards that, and I think that we saw some glimpses of that, and there’s times where we struggled as well, and so I think that this team has shown that type of resilience all year. I think there’s an understanding of how we want to play and kind of what the foundation of that has been laid, but you know we continue to battle through the things that we’ve been struggling with all year, whether it’s from an availability standpoint, but I think that more often than not, we compete, we go out there and fight, and sometimes it’s not our night in terms of the ball going in or not.”

When play resumes, Marsh intends to strike a delicate balance between respecting his veterans and fast-tracking his younger players, such as integrating developmental player Morgan Maly into the rotation.

“Those are conversations that we’ll have in terms of you know the complete direction that we want to go in,” Marsh said regarding Maly’s post-break involvement. “But we’ll try to continue to integrate her more and more so that she gets more and more experience within what we do, just to have her out there and kind of see what she has, and so threw her in there today. She gave some hard-fought minutes today, and so we’ll continue to work her into our system.”

Ultimately, the final four games of the regular season will serve as a multi-layered evaluation phase rather than a casual countdown to the offseason. Marsh outlined the specific milestones and approach he wants to see during the final stretch:

“It’s a combination of things. I think we’ve taken a pretty big jump from last year, from a statistical standpoint. So there’s things that we want to continue to build upon there and finish the season out strong. I think it’s also finding the balance of still getting some minutes for our vets to want to continue to play and fight and compete, but also being mindful of the wear and tear on some of the higher minute players, and then balancing that with still getting quality reps and experience for some of our younger players as well, and so that’s how we’re approaching this last part of the season. It’s a collective kind of mindset to continue to play these last few games with the mindset of winning, and so you know we’re taking all that into account.”

When the WNBA regular season resumes on September 17th, the final stretch will serve as a foundational testing ground for Marsh’s evolving blueprint. Though postseason positioning is out of reach, the closing stretch holds immense internal value for a roster looking to solidify its developmental goals and culture. By prioritizing physical health over the break, integrating fresh talent into the rotation, and pushing through individual learning curves, Chicago has a prime opportunity to turn these final four games into a vital head start on the 2027 season.

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BROOKLYN, NY — In a candid pregame press conference, WNBA veteran Natasha Cloud continued to leverage her platform to deliver a blistering critique of the current American political and media landscape. Cloud targeted what she characterized as a coordinated campaign of “intentional distraction” designed to divide the public ahead of the upcoming midterm elections.

Instead of answering questions regarding the Enes Kanter Freedom confrontation, Cloud demanded a hard pivot to severe, systemic crises currently impacting American communities: skyrocketing domestic violence, nationwide food safety breakdowns, high maternal mortality rates, and foreign military entanglements.

When asked about the toxic cultural rhetoric that has increasingly encroached upon the league this season, Cloud didn’t hold back. She explicitly rejected the focus on marginalized groups as a bad faith political tactic.

“I want to talk about real issues that face women, and it’s not our trans human beings, and it’s not our drag queens, it’s not our gay community,” Cloud stated emphatically. “There is a certain demographic of people that you can generally search... what is the greatest threat to women and children currently in 2026 in the United States of America, and it’s not going to be trans people.”

Cloud warned the public and the media assembled before her to stop falling for divisive talking points that serve as smoke screens. “The more that we hate each other, the more that we have bias against each other, the more we’re going to be distracted from real life issues that are plaguing our communities,” she said. “With the midterm elections coming up, I want everyone to know this is intentional. It is intentional, and stop being played for a puppet. We’re not puppets.”

Freed from what she deemed “irrelevant threats,” Cloud listed the deep, structural failures that she believes deserve primary media coverage because they directly impact the daily safety and survival of American families.

• Epidemic of Violence: Cloud pointed directly to domestic violence and sexual assault as the true “number one” threat facing women and children today.

• The Food Supply Crisis: She highlighted the immediate, universal panic surrounding the current widespread food recalls affecting the country. “That has an immediate impact on your wives, your kids, your entire family... across the board. It doesn’t matter if you’re white, black, Asian, straight, or gay, because all of our food is being affected and recalled right now.”

• Healthcare Failures: Cloud strongly condemned the lack of basic healthcare infrastructure, particularly in southern and rural areas where citizens are left vulnerable. “The women’s mortality rate is through the roof. We surpass any other country [among developed nations],” Cloud noted, calling out the hypocrisy of politicians claiming to protect families while voting against their health and rights.

• Foreign Conflict: She also explicitly mentioned the global landscape, stating that the nation finds itself entrenched “in the middle of a genocide and war that we were promised that we wouldn’t be in.”

Today’s media session arrived at a bittersweet moment for the WNBA. The league is currently enjoying unprecedented growth, record breaking viewership, and historically elite play on the court. Yet, Cloud lamented that these athletic achievements are regularly overshadowed because the league is continuously weaponized by external political actors.

“I would love for our league to be celebrated for the amazing year that we’re having,” Cloud said. “But we are a microcosm of a bigger issue that is our society. And we won’t allow our league to be used as a pawn for any political or cultural rewards that the right wants.”

Cloud credited Sky leadership, praising Tyler [Marsh], Jeff [Pagliocca], and Michael Alter for taking immediate actions to protect players by enforcing arena bans against Freedom. When asked a final question about exactly who is driving and profiting from the ongoing culture wars within the sports ecosystem, Cloud left no room for ambiguity.

“What demographic? Like in the sports world, what is the demographic that talks about sports, invests in sports, runs sports?” Cloud asked the room. “Men. That’s your answer. That’s literally the answer, men.”

Cloud’s ending remarks underscore a critical reality because men overwhelmingly hold the executive power, funding, and media platforms within the sports ecosystem, meaning they bear responsibility for shifting these harmful narratives. For the sports culture to move past manufactured distractions, men in leadership and male fans alike must actively choose to amplify the elite play on the court rather than weaponizing the league for political leverage. True allyship requires men to use their privilege to protect athletes and refocus the public conversation on the real world issues that impact everyone.

Photo by CSOM Sports

CHICAGO — The Chicago Bears closed out their 2026 training camp with a physical, padded joint practice against the Tennessee Titans in Nashville. With final roster cutdowns looming ahead of Sunday’s 5:00 PM deadline, the intense session provided head coach Ben Johnson and his staff a critical final evaluation window.

The week brought offensive efficiency, heated physical battles, unresolved position battles, and significant roster movement on both sides of the ball.

The most notable storyline of the week revolved around third-year defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Sr. The Bears have reportedly engaged in trade discussions regarding Dexter, with multiple scenarios on the table. The trade market for defensive tackles is heating up, and opposing front offices have actively inquired about the 24-year-old.

However, a major wrinkle developed when head coach Ben Johnson announced that Dexter did not travel to Tennessee due to a hamstring injury. Dexter suffered the injury mid-practice on Tuesday, complicating both trade discussions and his availability for Week 1 against the Carolina Panthers. Adding to the front-four concerns, edge rusher Austin Booker was also ruled out and is considered week-to-week with a groin injury.

The joint practice was a hot, chippy, two-hour session that required an increased emphasis on endurance from both teams. Amid the heat, rookie quarterback Caleb Williams put together an impressive performance against the Titans’ defense. Williams completed six straight passes to open 11-on-11 drills, finishing the day 9-of-11 overall.

Coach Ben Johnson praised Williams’ development, stating: “I think that’s been probably the best thing so far this camp, just the anticipation, the timing, the understanding of where we want to put the football. He is not afraid to fit it into tight windows. He trusts his pass catchers.”

Johnson wasn’t afraid to display regular-season wrinkles either, successfully executing a trick play where running back D’Andre Swift tossed a lateral back to Williams, who subsequently found tight end Colston Loveland wide open downfield.

Despite the looming cutdown deadline, Ben Johnson admitted on Tuesday that starting roles at left tackle and safety remain completely up for grabs. Discussing the wide-open left tackle spot, Johnson noted, “I don’t know that we are 100% sold on who that guy’s going to be for Carolina yet.” Meanwhile, rookie Dillon Thieneman has secured one safety spot, but the free safety position next to him remains wide open.

Injury concerns also extended past the defensive line. Defensive backs Jaylon Johnson (upper body) and Tyrique Stevenson (leg) both left Thursday’s joint session early with trainers, dealing another blow to an already battered secondary unit.

Conversely, All-Pro right tackle Darnell Wright gave the team a scare when he left a practice earlier in the week with trainers tending to his right arm. Coach Johnson clarified it was a minor reaggravation of a prior elbow injury, and Wright fully participated on Thursday. Additionally, wide receiver Luther Burden III returned to the field, showing strong progress and bringing intense energy to team drills.

With a mountain of camp injuries testing the team’s depth, Johnson sent a blunt message to the media regarding his team-building philosophy. Pushing back on the constant questions about sidelined players and previous team failures, Johnson stated:

“Listen, all I care about is: Does it help us win or not? That’s really what I’m all about. The guys that aren’t out there, they’re not helping us win right now. I want to talk about the guys that are out there helping us right now. I want stories to be written about those guys.”

With the 53-man roster deadline fast approaching, several bubble players face a crucial final evaluation:

• Kaden Davis (WR): Davis has put together a spectacular summer and is making a furious, late push to sneak onto the roster. While he remains just outside the locks of Burden, Rome Odunze, Zavion Thomas and Kalif Raymond, his consistent separation in joint practices and standout special teams value make him extremely difficult to cut. He is the prime candidate to steal a sixth wide receiver spot.

• Jordan van den Berg (DT): The rookie sixth-rounder has been a disruptive force in the interior rotation. With Gervon Dexter’s injury leaving the defensive tackle depth chart vulnerable, van den Berg’s stock is rising rapidly, putting him in a prime position to make the 53 man roster over experienced veterans.

• Sam Roush (TE): The rookie tight end is pushing hard to secure a firm rotational role, drawing unique public feedback from Johnson. The head coach pointed out that while Roush is battling rookie inconsistency due to the massive mental demands of blocking and route running, he is successfully “building trust” with the staff.

• Dontae Manning (CB): With Kyler Gordon missing significant time, Manning has capitalized on increased reps. He bounced back from a shaky showing against Cincinnati with a highly competitive week in Nashville, putting himself squarely in the conversation for a backup corner spot.

• Xavier Woods (S): Woods’ roster spot is suddenly highly precarious. His leverage shifted this week when Elijah Hicks returned from the PUP list and immediately began working back into first-team reps, directly threatening Woods’ position in the unresolved safety battle.

• Scotty Miller (WR): Despite a respectable camp, Miller is caught in an incredibly crowded wide receiver room. There are simply too many younger options ahead of him.

• James Lynch & Kentavius Street (DT): The interior defensive line is undergoing a massive numbers squeeze. Even with Dexter’s injury, the Bears are deep at defensive tackle with Grady Jarrett and Neville Gallimore, leaving Lynch and Street firmly on the bubble against surging rookies.

• Roschon Johnson (RB): Johnson’s grasp on the No. 3 running back spot has slipped. Because Salvon Ahmed has continually flashed explosiveness throughout camp, projections show Ahmed making a serious push for the final RB spot. Johnson could become a trade chip for a team seeking a physical back before final cuts.

• Jordan McFadden (OL): The Bears have explored trading McFadden in the past due to his versatility. With a deep group of interior offensive linemen performing well, McFadden represents premium line depth that could be flipped to an O-line-needy team for draft capital.

• Kyler Gordon (CB): Gordon has missed significant time this preseason. Because there remains no definitive timeline for his return, the Bears are expected to use an injury designation to open a temporary roster spot.

Looking Ahead to Kickoff

As the Bears wrap up their final adjustments in Nashville, all eyes turn to tonight’s kickoff. Preseason finales are rarely about the final score, but for the dozens of players fighting for their professional lives, every snap at Nissan Stadium will carry immense weight. Head coach Ben Johnson and General Manager Ryan Poles face a tough 24 hours of candid conversations, medical evaluations, and potential trade calls before Sunday’s deadline. By Monday morning, the true identity of the 2026 Chicago Bears will be locked in, ready to embark on the regular season.

Photo by CSOM Sports

CHICAGO — Chicago Sky forward Rickea Jackson sat down with local media today to discuss her ongoing ACL recovery. During the conversation, she touched on finding joy outside of basketball, her perspective on the difficult 2026 season, and why she firmly believes Chicago is building a future dynasty.

For an athlete who has played nonstop since the seventh grade, an ACL tear represents a massive lifestyle shift. Instead of letting the grueling rehab process get her down, however, Jackson is embracing it as a necessary, spiritually mandated break.

“I just been looking at it as that,” Jackson told CSOM Sports. “Like God felt like I needed to take a break from basketball. He felt like I needed to really feel everything that I was going through off the court and truly just handle things like that. But also just you know, kind of be a regular person.”

Being a “regular person” has allowed Jackson to experiment with her personal style and uncover a hidden, therapeutic talent.

“I feel like just looking at the good things out of it. I get to get extra long nails. My hairstyles last longer. I’m not sweating them out. I found new hobbies. I love bedazzling. I literally bedazzle everything. My inhalers are bedazzled.”

The obsession started after a conversation with Sky staff member Maggie [Maloney], when the two decided they needed a fresh creative outlet. Jackson’s very first target was a bulky piece of medical tech.

“The first thing I bedazzled was my game ready,” Jackson laughed, referring to her ice therapy machine. “It’s like an ice machine. It’s red and it was ugly, and we made a joke, and we were like, maybe if it was bedazzled, then I would use it because I hate ice like really bad. I hate ice, so it actually helped, and it’s very beautiful. So I actually like to look at her now, and then I bedazzled my inhaler. I have like three, four inhalers now, and they’re all bedazzled. So yeah, now I’m just literally bedazzling anything I can get my hands on, I’m obsessed with it. It’s very therapeutic, and I love it.”

Even with a newly bedazzled ice machine, physical therapy remains a daily hurdle. To make the process a bit more personal, Jackson took some advice from Dallas Wings star Paige Bueckers, who told her that naming a post-surgery knee is a vital rite of passage. The official name of Jackson’s recovering knee? “Rickneea.”

While her medical staff celebrates every milestone of Rickneea’s recovery, Jackson keeps her personal expectations grounded.

“My trainers and my strength coach they are always telling me where I pr [personal record] at or stuff like that. But I mean, for me, I just take it day by day, trying not to get too far ahead, trying to stress myself out,” Jackson admitted. “I just show up every day and just do what’s asked of me. But they’re more excited about the little gains than I am. I mean, I just be like, okay, like I can bend my knee, like I don’t know.”

On-court progress is happening nonetheless. Jackson confirmed she is already getting back to basketball-adjacent activities in her workouts, noting, “I just get out there and shoot the ball. I can dribble.”

While missing time on the hardwood is painful, Jackson is maximizing her time on the bench by treating it as a live film study session. She is closely watching the league’s top players and pinpointing exactly how she can elevate her own game when she returns. Specifically, Jackson is taking notes on defensive angles and the lost art of the pump fake.

“I would say help side defense like I got better at was taking more angles to cut the offensive player off, but I’ve seen it even more prominent,” Jackson told CSOM Sports. “With someone like DiJonai [Carrington] and how she’s very active with her hands and Natasha [Cloud], how she’s able to like slug it through screens and just make it hard and just pushing them out. So on the defensive end, just those little things, and just on the offensive end, just seeing how I’m so grateful to have a two feet pump fake, and I feel like that’s something that’s a lost art that I feel like gets me to the line a lot or gets an and one and things of that nature. So just making sure I’m really focusing on my balance, not going too fast, slowing down a little bit, but rebounding more just a little bit of everything.”

It has been a difficult 2026 campaign for the Chicago Sky, who found themselves eliminated from postseason contention. For a fierce competitor like Jackson, watching the struggles from the bench hasn’t been easy, but her belief in the roster’s underlying talent remains completely unshaken.

“I just felt like we are better than what our record shows,” Jackson said. “It’s unfortunate that we did not make the playoffs. Of course, that’s the goal, but just seeing the talent that we have on this team shouldn’t go unnoticed. I mean, we have record breaking players and trying to be more cohesive and things of that nature. But at this point, like we still have a job to do, have a season to finish out, but also we’re building towards the years to come as well, so definitely disappointing. But just gotta get through it now.”

A massive bright spot for Jackson during this stretch has been the supportive environment around the team and the breakout performance of rookie guard Sydney Taylor.

“It feels good being back with my teammates,” Jackson smiled. “You know, great personalities, always making me laugh. So it’s good.”

When asked about Taylor’s incredible rookie run, Jackson couldn’t hide her excitement, reminding everyone that she saw this success coming before anyone else did.

“Oh my gosh! Like I called it. I told y’all,” Jackson exclaimed. “I said in training camp, I don’t know who this woman is, but she can dunk. That was what I said. I’m just so excited for her. I feel like she’s just put the work in, and she’s just truly getting the fruits of her labor. Like she comes to work every day, doesn’t complain, just goes to work, and anybody that’s in front of her, she feel like she can get by you, and she do it every time. So I’m just so proud of her, honestly, to just see how she continues to grow, and she just has an amazing story, undrafted, and coming to the league and doing what she’s doing is so impressive, and it’s rare. So I feel like it just gives other undrafted people hope. Like this is possible. So I feel like people are truly starting to know who Sydney Taylor is, and I’m so happy for her.”

As the Sky look ahead, a formidable young core is taking shape featuring Jackson, Taylor, and center Kamilla Cardoso. Combined with veteran leadership, Jackson sees a massive ceiling for Chicago next year.

“I’m very excited to look forward to where we can be, looking to see like where we will fit, like how I can play off other players, how they can play off me,” Jackson said. “So just being able to just sit down and just enjoy the game and watch it as a fan, I feel like it’s been pretty cool to experience, get to know my teammates more. So I’m very excited of what we can be. Tash [Cloud] has been playing out her mind. She’s been really solid for us, on and off the court. Our leader, very vocal. Leads by example as well. So I’m just excited to play with all of my teammates next year.”

Jackson is incredibly bullish on the future of the Sky franchise. She isn’t just looking for a simple playoff return in 2027, she is aiming for long-term dominance in Chicago.

“I just see like championships. I see a hardworking team, a gritty team. I see just like a flow state of wins strung together. Yeah, I see what can be. I feel like it could be a dynasty. I feel like the last championship was what 2021, I believe. So we definitely want to get back to those ways, and I feel Rome wasn’t built in a day, so it’s definitely going to take time. But I’m willing to do my part in making sure that the Chicago Sky turns into a dynasty. But easier said than done, of course. But that is definitely something that I’m looking forward to, and stringing our pieces together when everyone gets healthy.”

Rome indeed was not built in a day, and neither is a WNBA dynasty. But with Jackson utilizing her sideline view to master the finer points of the game, the blueprint for Chicago’s next era could be coming into focus. If her vision holds true, this temporary break is simply the quiet before the storm of an exciting new chapter of Sky basketball.

Photo by CSOM Sports

CHICAGO — Sudden cross-country flights, overseas stops, and constant uncertainty define life on the WNBA roster bubble. It is a grueling test of patience, and no one embodies this relentless professional grind right now quite like guard/forward Morgan Maly.

Her grind paid off as the Chicago Sky signed the former Creighton standout to an player development contract on August 19th. Securing Maly for the final stretch provides Chicago with elite perimeter depth while locking in her rights ahead of next spring’s training camp.

The turnaround from free agent to wearing a Chicago uniform was instantaneous.

“I was on my way to the gym when Jeff [Pagliocca] texted me and then got on the phone,” Maly recalled regarding the exact moment she found out she was heading to the Windy City. “He told me, ‘Sounds good. Let’s go home and pack a bag.’ It was a very cool, quick turnaround. I was in the city 24 hours later. Everyone on staff and the players have been very nice, helping me get adjusted and putting in extra work to learn the system and what we’re trying to do for the last little bit of the season.”

Sky General Manager Jeff Pagliocca quickly recognized how Maly’s unique skill set could benefit the roster, particularly given her versatility.

“We could always use a floor spacer, especially at the four here,” Pagliocca told CSOM Sports. “Morgan had a very good college career and a ton of success her first season in Greece. She brings good athleticism and good size. She’s versatile, can play some two and three, and can play with her back to the basket a little bit as well in short corners and elbows. She can make plays for other people. We watched her a lot in college, and at this point, we retain the rights to these players. Once the season ends, we’ll continue to explore that last spot as well.”

Long before arriving in Chicago, Maly built a legendary status at Creighton University. Over a prolific five-year collegiate career spanning 150 games, she established herself as one of the most efficient perimeter weapons in college basketball, averaging 13.8 points and 5.3 rebounds per game.

When her time in Omaha concluded, Maly left as the program’s all-time leader in three-pointers made (333) and its second-highest scorer with 2,072 total points. Yet, despite her collegiate resume, Maly went undrafted in the 2025 WNBA Draft.

Dealing with the reality of limited roster space in the league requires a specific mental toughness. “It’s part of the gig, you know?” Maly told CSOM Sports. “It’s the best league in the world, and spots are super limited, so you gotta take advantage of your opportunity every time you get one.”

Instead of letting an undrafted status derail her ambitions, Maly utilized the adversity to expand her skill set. She initially fought through training camp with the Connecticut Sun in 2025. Ahead of the 2026 campaign, she joined the Phoenix Mercury, logging minutes across two preseason games before being waived just before opening night in May.

Between those training camps, Maly traveled across the Atlantic to suit up for Olympiacos in the Greek League. Across 22 games, she averaged 18.7 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 3.3 assists, fueled by a blistering 37% shooting percentage from behind the arc.

The physical, slow-paced European game forced her to transform into a much more complete player. “I feel like I just had to show up and do more for my team than I’d ever been asked to in college,” Maly said. “I really took pride in my defense and my rebounding and having my presence being felt on both sides of the floor. I feel like that’s where I grew the most last year.”

Living overseas also brought its own set of minor challenges, specifically when it came to missing tastes of home. “I love sloppy joes and the way I like them here,” Maly laughed. “They don’t have those in Greece, so that’s always my staple: a quick, easy meal.”

Now in Chicago, Maly provides a highly specific weapon for Sky head coach Tyler Marsh. Maly’s ability to stretch the defense from the wing or the block gives Marsh the precise floor-spacing utility his system demands.

When Pagliocca first reached out to her agent about the open development spot, the front office pointed directly to her unique blend of size and shooting gravity on film.

“From them, I heard that they wanted a perimeter presence and floor spacing from the big positions,” Maly said. “I think I’m actually a little undersized to be a true four in this league, but I’ve been a playmaking point forward my whole career, so I’m here to hopefully just make some open shots.”

Coach Marsh’s system thrives on quick reads, and Maly’s perimeter gravity is designed to pull defenders away from the paint, opening up passing lanes and clear space for interior targets like center Kamilla Cardoso.

“I think that’s kind of the game plan and what they want with personnel,” Maly noted regarding her synergy with Chicago’s post players. “With me, it’s about the pick-and-pop, and then making plays from there to open things up for our bigs who do a great job inside.”

Maly made her official Sky debut on August 23, logging one minute of action against the Indiana Fever. While her immediate role in the final weeks of the regular season could see an uptick, the true value of a developmental contract lies in long-term evaluation.

Off the court, she is still settling into her new home and is eager to explore the city’s famous culinary scene. “I’m a foodie a little bit at heart, so I need to make a list,” Maly shared. “Actually, I need some recommendations. That’s what needs to happen. But I’ve been seeing burger places, steakhouses, and then I have to, of course, hit some pizza spots.”

By integrating Maly into Marsh’s read-and-react offensive schemes right now, the Sky are getting an early look at a player who could secure a roster spot next season. For a franchise focused on building a sustainable culture, Maly represents exactly what the front office values most: championship pedigree, international maturity, and elite shooting volume.

Photo by CSOM Sports

CHICAGO — The inevitable became reality for the Chicago Sky this week. With a 113-90 defeat at the hands of the Indiana Fever, the Sky were officially eliminated from WNBA playoff contention. For the third consecutive year, postseason basketball will bypass the Windy City. What once felt like a temporary dip following their 2021 championship era has solidified into a multi-season cycle of frustration.

While the Sky put together some hard-fought wins late in the season to delay their fate, they could not outrun adversity and a wave of bad luck.

• Critical Injuries: The season unraveled early when star forward Rickea Jackson suffered a season-ending knee injury just four games in. Core pieces like Azurá Stevens, Skylar Diggins, DiJonai Carrington and Courtney Vandersloot also spent significant portions of the year battling through injury woes.

• Clutch Deficiencies: Chicago struggled immensely in tight games, dropping 14 of 23 games that were decided in crunch time.

Despite the disappointment of missing the postseason, head coach Tyler Marsh is refusing to let his team mentally pack their bags early. Speaking on what he is looking to accomplish during this final stretch of games, Marsh explicitly laid out a focus on continuity and locker room unity rather than simple trial-and-error.

“I think it’s less about learning and more about finishing what we started,” Marsh told CSOM Sports. “Kind of continuing to finish strong, continuing to stay together, continuing to find your purpose and motivation for continuing to play, even though we’re out of the playoff hunt. We still got opportunity to continue to win some games. It’s more games than we’ve won in the last couple of years. And so, we want to continue to build off of that.”

For a franchise in transition, these final matchups serve as a foundational test. Marsh notes that the organizational trajectory is being fueled directly by the younger pieces who will anchor the next era.

“We got a lot of young players that are going to be part of the Sky for a while. And so, I think our vets understand that. Our younger players understand that. And that all goes into the fuel and the motivation for continuing to play hard.”

While critics point to a lack of immediate draft assets, Marsh remains confident that the baseline internal roster holds the ingredients necessary to eventually return to the WNBA’s elite tier. When asked by CSOM Sports if this roster possesses the foundational pieces to compete at a championship level, the Sky head coach pointed directly to an internal shift in mentality.

“Yeah. I think it starts with the culture and the mindset,” Marsh stated. “And so I think that foundation has been laid, but still has some room for growth to get there. But there’s a mindset, and there’s a shift in that I think has been kind of established that we want to continue to build upon.”

That shift has been accelerated by an influx of unexpected on-court opportunities. Due to the team’s severe injury bugs, younger players were thrust into heavy rotational minutes earlier than planned, a silver lining that Marsh expects to pay major dividends down the road.

“We got a lot of maturity in the locker room, especially from our younger players that have been able to gain a lot of experience this year that maybe wouldn’t have under circumstances,” Marsh added. “I think that’s only going to help them going into their next phase.”

A major element of that developmental phase will center around evaluating young talent like Gabriela Jaquez and Aicha Coulibaly. Marsh referenced how he plans to map out playing time for his rotational pieces over the final multi-game stretch, praising their adaptability amid fluctuating roles.

“Obviously, Gabs and Aisha have been huge parts of our team throughout this year,” Marsh observed. “They both have had opportunities of starting. They both come off the bench with big minutes. They’ve also gone games where their minutes have been low or haven’t played. So I’m just really impressed by their maturity and their understanding of just kind of doing whatever it takes for the team.”

With the postseason off the table, the priority pivots toward ensuring these younger assets gain valuable live-game reps to properly map out their developmental curves ahead of a critical offseason.

“They have long careers ahead of them and we still got six games left of this season, so we definitely want to continue to get them looks,” Marsh concluded. “But I’ve been really happy with what we’ve seen from them throughout this year and excited to see what their growth is moving forward.”

Undrafted rookie Sydney Taylor has transformed into a cornerstone of the Chicago Sky’s new era, shattering expectations with her explosive perimeter scoring and making league history as the first rookie to sink multiple go-ahead three-pointers with under five seconds left. Her rapid ascension from training camp longshot to fearless closer provides a crucial, high-impact example of the team’s accelerated development of young talent.

When analyzing what schematic foundations can successfully carry over into next year, Marsh pushed back on the traditional, strictly on-court definition of player development. For the second-year coach, the real wins of this season come from teaching the roster’s youngest members the hidden realities of professional basketball.

“I think most times 100% of the attention goes to the on-court skill development and little attention gets paid to learning what it means to be a pro and how to establish yourself from that standpoint, how to approach everyday practices, film, those types of things all go into player development as well,” Marsh explained to CSOM Sports. “There’s so many great players out there from a skill aspect that may find themselves not be able to stick around this league because they don’t do the little things consistently enough.”

Marsh credited the Sky’s current young core for internalizing those intangibles immediately, paving the way for a more seamless transition into targeted skill work as they evaluate individual building blocks like Kamilla Cardoso, Jackson, Taylor, Jaquez, and Coulibaly.

“We’re grateful that the rookies that we’ve had this year have been learning that on the fly. That’s as big a part of player development as anything. So I’m very proud of that aspect of it,” Marsh noted. “And then when you think of the skill development, everyone is individually different, have different skill sets that they’ve brought to the table. I think that obviously Gab’s versatility that she’s brought on both ends of the floor, her off-ball movement offensively, her length and versatility defensively continues to be a part of her asset, but also development for her. Coulibaly’s ability to get to the free throw line and to defend multiple positions. We want to continue to work on her with her outside shooting. Sydney and her defense and her continued shot creation.”

Crucially, the organization is looking at massive developmental ceilings from their frontcourt anchors, showcasing a blueprint centered around versatility and growth for their highly touted interior duo.

“I think we sometimes forget that Kamilla’s still a young player with room for development. We’ve been able to see her leaps defensively and offensively,” Marsh said. “So and then we have Rickea as well, who has another off-season plan that’s in that kind of younger frame as well. So there’s a lot to be excited about moving forward, especially when you look at the potential that each of our younger players have.”

Executing Marsh’s long-term vision will still be difficult, as the franchise faces severe roster limitations that could leave the organization stuck in place.

• No Top Lottery Capital: Due to past trades, Washington holds swap rights on Chicago’s own first-round pick, stripping them of an organic way to add elite young talent.

• Imminent Financial Decisions: While Kamilla Cardoso and Rickea Jackson are under contract through 2027, key veteran players like Natasha Cloud and DiJonai Carrington are on expiring deals.

• Aging Core: Veteran guard Courtney Vandersloot remains a stabilizing presence but is entering the final twilight of her historic career.

This third consecutive season of missing the playoffs forces the front office to confront the reality that the current top-down approach is not working. Without elite draft assets, Chicago enters the offseason looking less like a rebuilding contender and more like a franchise stuck in basketball limbo. If Marsh is correct, however, the professional habits and individual skills being forged during this adversity filled season might just be the anchor that prevents the Sky from drifting further off course.

Photo by CSOM Sports

CHICAGO — Breaking his typical policy of staying out of player related issues, Chicago Sky majority owner Michael Alter addressed the local Chicago media to dismantle the narrative put forward by former NBA center Enes Kanter Freedom. In an unscripted briefing, Alter provided a meticulous timeline of Sunday’s events at Wintrust Arena, explicitly labeling Freedom’s recent Fox News appearance as a collection of “outright lies or misleading information.”

Alter expressed deep disappointment that a calculated public relations stunt had overshadowed the league’s achievements, presenting text logs and security protocols to set the record straight.

A central point of contention was Freedom’s claim on national television that Chicago Sky General Manager Jeff Pagliocca warmly welcomed him and rolled out a hospitable environment. Alter flatly rejected this, clarifying the context and reading the exact text exchange to reporters.

• Past Relationship: Pagliocca previously worked as Freedom’s personal trainer, a professional relationship that ended around 2018 or 2019. Prior to Sunday, Pagliocca had not spoken to or texted Freedom in three to four years.

• Sudden Message: At 2:30 PM on Sunday, Pagliocca received a text from Freedom’s manager, Hank, stating: “Jeff. This is Hank (Enes’s manager). I’ve got a new number. You’ve always been fair to me, so I figured you deserved a heads up in advance. Enes and I will be at the Sky Game tonight. Hope you are all well.”

• The Actual Response: Pagliocca merely replied: “Appreciate the text.”

Alter pointed out that Freedom’s manager had to explicitly state his identity because they had been out of contact for years. Furthermore, Alter noted that the phrasing “you deserved a heads up” proves Freedom’s camp knew they were not attending simply as casual sports fans.

“Jeff, neither prior to nor at any time during the game, had any conversations directly with Enes,” Alter stated. “The text directly suggests that Jeff did not tell him to enjoy the game. He merely acknowledged receiving the text. Jeff was shocked and surprised.”

The Sky organization treated the last-minute notification as an intentional effort to provoke a reaction. Upon checking ticketing records, the front office found no record of Freedom purchasing a seat under his own name. Alter called this a clear indicator of “malintent,” noting that Freedom used an unknown third party to buy the courtside seat behind the basket to hide his presence until arrival.

In response, the Sky immediately notified arena security, team personnel, and WNBA league officials. However, because league and venue policies dictate that fans cannot be censored or banned based on their political beliefs only their behavior the explicit directive given to all Sky staff was to completely ignore Freedom and refuse to take the bait.

For more than three hours, including warmups and the first three quarters of the game, the strategy worked.

“You’ve heard him talk about the fact that people were from the Sky, the players, whatever, were reacting to his T-shirt... which he seems to be very proud of his shirt. I found it hard to read myself, so I don’t think anyone really cared,” Alter remarked. “I don’t think it was that all of a sudden somebody discovered his T-shirt. What happened was that his conduct changed.”

Alter directly contradicted Freedom’s on-air claim that he “said nothing” and did nothing wrong prior to his removal, citing independent eyewitness accounts from fans sitting adjacent to the baseline.

• The Chirping: Alter confirmed that the dialogue between Sky guard Natasha Cloud and Freedom was actually initiated by Freedom in the third quarter. He described it as basketball-related “trash talking,” but noted it was intended “to try to provoke her.”

• The Gestures: As Cloud began to engage back verbally, Freedom responded with a series of animated hand expressions, gestures, and facial movements.

• The Flashpoint: The situation crossed a definitive line when Freedom stood up from his courtside seat.

“He made a decision to stand up from his seat again on the court, put his arms out, point a finger at the player on the court, Natasha Cloud, and most importantly, he took a step towards the court,” Alter detailed. “That changed everything. He went from being a fan, even an obnoxious fan, but a fan, to being a potential threat. And that is why the security acted as quickly and swiftly and very smoothly as they did.”

Addressing Freedom’s defense that he never technically crossed the baseline boundary, Alter was blunt:

“For one reason, he didn’t cross the baseline because he was prevented from doing so. But regardless of that, the security people’s job is not to wait until a threat intensifies; it’s to avoid the threat from happening when its perceived threat occurs. They recognized the threat, they acted quickly, and that’s the reason why he was ejected.”

Alter also revealed that game officials were fully prepared to demand Freedom’s ejection if security had not already executed it. In total, five distinct security authorities including Wintrust Arena staff, NBA Security, the Chicago Police Department, Chicago Sky Security, and Indiana Fever Security unanimously agreed that immediate ejection was the only proper course of action.

When asked why the Sky decided to enact an organization-specific venue ban when the WNBA league office has not instituted a league-wide ban, Alter explained that a clear line had been crossed.

“He has demonstrated to us again unequivocally... that he has the potential to be a threat; that he is not able to control himself to the extent where we can be comfortable that he may step towards the court again and towards the player,” Alter explained. “So that is the basis for which we will not permit him into the building until such time as he can prove otherwise. This is entertainment. No one has a legal right to be here. So if they become a potential threat, that’s sufficient to remove them.”

Reflecting on how the franchise managed the chaotic afternoon, Alter praised his security apparatus but expressed one major operational regret regarding his players:

“We made the decision not to inform the players prior to the game that Kanter was there. We felt that it was too close to tip-off time, and that it just didn’t want to become a distraction. In retrospect, I think I would have maybe done differently. Maybe it’d have been better had we let them know and tried to give them the same instructions we gave to our rest of our staff, which is, ‘He’s going to be there to try and provoke you.”

When asked specifically if he had spoken with Natasha Cloud directly and how she was processing the altercation, Alter opted to respect her privacy. “We’ve spoken. You know, I’ll let her speak for herself. God knows, Tash doesn’t need any help in answering that question about how she’s doing. So she’ll do it far better than me when she’s ready. So I’ll pass on that.”

When asked about how the WNBA should proactively manage similar political provocateurs moving forward, Alter emphasized the fine line between public access and arena safety, reiterating his resistance to ideological screening.

“It’s a very, very difficult situation, and the people doing this, they know it, and they’re taking advantage of that,” Alter stated. “I’m a huge believer in the First Amendment, and we don’t want to get to a point where we have to ask people what their opinions are and their views on certain things before they enter a game. That’s never going to happen, and God forbid, the fact that we’re even talking about it is kind of ridiculous. We don’t ever want to get to the point where we are checking into people’s political views or social views, whatever it might be, religious views.”

“And that’s kind of what’s been thrust upon us because right now our position is and I think it’s the only one we can have is everybody’s allowed in the game. You buy a ticket, you behave according to our rules, you’re welcome. And if you don’t, then you won’t be allowed in. But we got to give people the benefit of the doubt. And so you know what we can do between those two things. That those are the conversations that are being had. It’s not a great lot of options.”

Alter acknowledged that an ejection might not serve as an effective deterrent for individuals looking to generate headlines. “Hopefully, maybe this is a deterrent to some people, I doubt it will be. The people doing this, I think getting thrown out is part of the fun for them.”

The conversation also shifted to general fan misconduct and safety upgrades, where Alter revealed the team is aggressively investigating other recent disruptive behavior at Wintrust Arena specifically referencing separate instances of fans tossing items onto the court.

“With these dildo throwers or whatever these people are, we are very actively trying to identify these people. We will strongly charge them with whatever the appropriate charges are, if and when we identify them,” Alter told CSOM Sports. “Hopefully, if we can do that, that will help in terms of other people realizing it’s not worth it to them.”

“We are constantly looking to see what we can do and how we can better prevent these things from happening. Same with the silly dildo stuff. We reviewed what had happened, and we know who the people are. We saw them, but we don’t have their names yet. We’re trying to get their names. We know how they entered, how they exited. So we’re going to address that to make that more difficult. We’re constantly with our team security looking at how we can upgrade and minimize these kinds of things.”

Alter explained that moving forward, advance warnings about specific individuals will alter the team’s operational posture to avoid future security gaps. “If it’s someone we know is coming, it gives us the opportunity to be a little more prepared. Sometimes we can be a little lax on the security, but when we know that stuff like this is happening, we make sure everyone is doing what they need to be doing, and that there’s no relaxing... and that we are sufficiently staffed. There’s no shortage of ushers and security... trying to stay one step ahead, which is a bit of a game.”

Responding to a question regarding why security was not stationed explicitly behind Freedom if the team anticipated a potential provocation, Alter defended the operational layout used by staff.

“Well, there was someone. If you look, you’ll see... he was sitting not quite in the middle, but he was sitting about five seats in, I think, on the row. So you couldn’t have somebody standing right there because people sitting next to him wouldn’t be able to watch the game. We couldn’t literally have someone right there. But at the end of the row, there was somebody standing there. There were actually two people there. There was someone from the arena, and the gentleman from Indiana, the Fever Security, who was the first one over there, was also very close. So they were right there, within reason, without impacting the ability of the other fans to watch the game.”

The impromptu session concluded with a discussion on how targeting transgender women impacts the wider queer and trans fanbase that has historically supported the league. Alter affirmed the organization’s commitment to maintaining a welcoming environment for all fans.

“We want everybody to be able to come to a Sky game and be safe,” Alter concluded. “So to the extent anybody is feeling unsafe, you know, that’s a travesty, and it’s a damn shame, and it’s something that we are working hard to to make sure is not the case, and so it’s just, you know, it’s just not acceptable.”

(Note: When asked by a reporter for further comment regarding the Chicago Sky missing the postseason for the third consecutive year, Alter simply stated, “I’m not happy about it,” and declined to expound further.)

The unyielding stance from the Chicago Sky leadership signals a potential turning point in how WNBA franchises navigate the intersection of public political performance and player safety. Alter has drawn a hard boundary for courtside ticketholders: once an interaction escalates into active physical movement toward a player, standard crowd protections dissolve in favor of instant ejection.

As the WNBA handles explosive growth, and heightened visibility, the fallout from this courtside confrontation highlights a new reality. Front offices are increasingly forced to step out of the shadows, standardizing their security layouts and aggressively tracking bad-faith disruptions to maintain the protective environment that has historically defined the league’s community.

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CHICAGO — The ejection of former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom from last night’s Sky vs. Fever game exposed an alarming vulnerability at the core of the league. This was not harmless free speech or routine courtside heckling. It felt like a calculated, bad-faith stunt that weaponized courtside access for viral attention, breaching the basic boundaries of workplace safety and placing athletes in direct physical danger.

What makes Freedom’s antics particularly egregious is that this escalation occurred the very next game after an equally abhorrent breach at Wintrust Arena. Just two nights prior, during the Sky’s narrow 73-70 victory over the Golden State Valkyries, play was disrupted in the third quarter when multiple green dildos were thrown directly onto the court. For a league already on high alert following consecutive nights of targeted harassment, Freedom’s choice to intentionally spark an on-court confrontation demonstrates a complete disregard for player safety.

The confrontation occurred with 1:22 remaining in the third quarter. Following a driving layup by Chicago guard Natasha Cloud that brought the Sky within six points of the Fever, an Indiana timeout was called. Instead of returning to the bench, Cloud turned to confront Freedom, who was wearing a black T-shirt emblazoned with the words: “WOMAN noun. adult human female.” As the two exchanged heated words, team security and players separated them, and Freedom was escorted from the arena. The shirt was an unambiguous callback to Freedom’s public campaign declaring eligibility for the 2027 WNBA draft, an effort explicitly designed to mock the league’s collective bargaining guidelines.

Initial reports stated the ejection served as a quick move to calm the arena, but eyewitnesses on the baseline suggest there is more to the story. Following the ejection, courtside ticketholder Trista Smith strongly disputed the narrative surrounding Freedom’s in-game conduct when speaking with multiple media outlets.

“He didn’t do sh*t, he didn’t say a word,” Smith told CSOM Sports. “He didn’t step on the court. He did nothing. I’m just sitting by him. I don’t know him personally. I know who he is and I think this is unfair. They came over and just pulled him out because he stood up when somebody got in his face. This is not fair. So I’m here to support him.”

Critics of the arena security’s decision view the incident as an overreach that polices political viewpoints. They argue that removing Freedom sets a troubling precedent for fan expression, especially since he maintained his conduct was entirely passive. Rather than de-escalating the situation, this perspective contends that arena staff penalized a paying attendee while excusing a player who actively stepped away from the game to confront a fan.

However, framing Freedom’s actions as purely passive or innocent ignores the reality of deliberate provocation. A towering, 6-foot-10 male sitting directly on the baseline in hostile attire to bait players is an active disruption. Coming immediately on the heels of the Valkyries incident, where Cloud had to publicly blast the weak behavior of male agitators throwing objects, the atmosphere was already a powder keg. Waiting for a reaction and then stepping toward the floor is not quiet observance; it is intentional instigation designed to elicit a response from athletes in the middle of an intense, back-and-forth game.

Following the final buzzer, the Chicago Sky presented a unified front, choosing to downplay the spectacle while fiercely defending their teammate. Natasha Cloud did not speak with the media after the game, opting instead to meet with league and team security officials. Sky forward Azura Stevens dismissed the baseline drama as a minor distraction, noting that security handled the fan incident so the team could keep its focus on the floor.

Sky Coach Tyler Marsh delivered a passionate defense of Cloud, condemning the intrusion while commending her fierce commitment to her team and community. Marsh revealed that he addressed the locker room immediately after the game to ensure Cloud did not shoulder undue blame for the disruption.

“I talked to the team, and you know, Tash didn’t want to feel like she was a distraction,” Marsh stated. “I told her she wasn’t. I told her that we all embrace her as someone that protects our team and protects people that need to be protected. And so, Tash is always going to stand on that, and we stand for Tash. I’m proud of how we ride for each other. We had to settle things down a little bit, but she knew how important it was to lock back in for us and she did.”

Marsh concluded with a direct plea for spectators to respect the integrity of the sport, challenging the former NBA center to remember what it means to be a professional athlete on the court.

“There’s so many good things about this league, and so many good things about the play of these players,” Marsh said. “And if you come to a game, you should probably come to enjoy the basketball. And that seems pretty simple to me. I think these players deserve that and have earned that. Being a former basketball player, you should probably understand and feel that too.”

While political actors deserve condemnation, ultimate responsibility for this toxic atmosphere lies with the WNBA’s front office. This climate did not materialize out of a vacuum; it was fueled by the league’s refusal to discipline Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham following her polarizing public comments regarding gender eligibility. By choosing silence over decisive accountability, league leadership signaled that harmful rhetoric would be tolerated. Cunningham’s unchecked commentary acted as an open invitation for outside agitators to view WNBA arenas as unpoliced territory for bad-faith agendas.

By tolerating actions that harm the association, the league gives up its authority and weakens its own standards. The hostile environment inside Wintrust Arena, where fans relentlessly booed Cunningham every time she touched the ball, and where Kanter Freedom felt emboldened to stage his baseline publicity stunt, is the direct consequence of a league office that allowed transphobia to go unpunished.

Turning basketball arenas into battlegrounds for political stunts places players in direct physical jeopardy. When individuals buy courtside access specifically to provoke, agitate, or generate viral confrontations, the physical buffer completely disappears. A 6-foot-10 agitator stepping toward the court creates an immediate physical threat that puts athletes, referees, and arena staff in harm’s way.

WNBA athletes are working professionals, and subjecting them to targeted, in-person hostility from spectators violates basic workplace safety standards. The league’s silence isn’t neutrality; it is complicit surrender.

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CHICAGO — Following a highly competitive joint practice earlier in the week, Bengals head coach Zac Taylor chose to rest all of his primary starters. Conversely, Bears head coach Ben Johnson gave his first-team units a brief single-drive cameo before turning the game over to his reserves for the remainder of the night.

Quarterback Caleb Williams orchestrated an 8-play, 33-yard drive, completing a sharp 18-yard strike to Rome Odunze and a 10-yard checkdown to Colston Loveland. The drive stalled inside the red zone due to an offensive holding penalty on left tackle Braxton Jones, forcing Cairo Santos to kick a 45-yard field goal. Williams finished his night completing 2-of-5 passes for 28 yards.

With Joe Burrow watching from the sidelines, Josh Johnson started for Cincinnati and dissected the Bears’ reserve defense. Johnson played the entire first half, finishing 15-of-23 for 156 yards and two touchdowns, guiding the Bengals to a 17-9 halftime lead. Case Keenum and Miller Moss handled the second half for Chicago but failed to find the end zone.

Wide receiver Maurice Alexander was the lone consistent bright spot for Chicago’s backup passing attack, leading the team with 5 receptions for 60 yards. On defense, the backup linebacker core racked up significant production while fighting for roster spots, as Wayne Matthews III paced the game with 8 total tackles and Ruben Hyppolite II added 7 combined tackles. Punter Tory Taylor boomed 6 punts for 311 total yards, averaging 51.8 yards per attempt.

Sloppy execution and a lack of discipline completely derailed Chicago’s momentum. After a highly disciplined performance in their preseason opener, the Bears looked uncharacteristically disorganized in a penalty-ridden showing against the Bengals. Crucial down scenarios proved disastrous, as the offense converted a dismal 14.3% of its third-down opportunities and repeatedly stalled its own drives by racking up 11 penalties for 81 yards. Veteran kicker Cairo Santos provided the lone source of offense, accounting for all of Chicago’s scoring with field goals from 45, 26, and 44 yards, though he missed a 53-yard try wide right. Compounding the frustrating night, the Bears suffered a major defensive blow late in the first half when linebacker Nephi Sewell was carted off the field with a significant injury.

Head coach Ben Johnson did not hold back when evaluating the secondary units, addressing the team’s glaring lack of discipline and critical breakdowns:

“We have clear evidence on tape of how to execute at a high level when we play complementary football. It’s the same guys in this room, but we cannot beat ourselves with eleven penalties. I take full responsibility for getting this cleaned up, but everyone in that circle has to hold themselves accountable before we head into final cutdowns.”

Caleb Williams offered a more balanced perspective, reflecting on the sudden adjustment of learning he would get the nod just 24 hours prior, while expressing ultimate faith in the starting unit’s trajectory:

“We found an early tempo out there on that opening drive and moved the ball well, but those down-and-distance setbacks completely killed our potential once we hit the red zone. Preseason is about learning from those exact mistakes. Come September 13th, this first-team offense is going to be completely rolling.”

As the NFL’s 53-man roster deadline looms, this matchup provided vital evaluation tape for both teams. The Bears (1-1) must address execution errors before hosting their preseason finale against the Tennessee Titans on Saturday. While the coaching staff will spend the upcoming week of practices cleaning up the procedural miscues that derailed the offense against the Bengals, the primary focus shifts to finding dependable depth across the roster.

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CHICAGO — Sydney Taylor is the cold-blooded shotmaker ready to define the future of Chicago Sky basketball. As the franchise undergoes a cultural shift, Taylor provides the blueprint required to navigate the modern WNBA: a fearless, scoring-first mentality that leaves opposing defenses helpless. Her rise from undrafted rookie to designated late-game closer marks the official arrival of a promising new era in the Windy City.

By sinking her latest game-winner, Taylor solidified her place as the first rookie in WNBA history to hit multiple go-ahead baskets with under five seconds remaining on the clock. Her playstyle is forged in ice, pairing elite scoring instincts with an unshakable poise and a rare edge driven by a burning desire to punish the franchises that passed on her on draft night.

Chicago Sky head coach Tyler Marsh recognized that killer instinct early, trusting the rookie when the game hangs in the balance:

“Early in the season, even when she was coming off the bench, she was hitting big shots in big moments, and so there’s an intangible there and about her that these are what she’s meant for, and some of that stuff you can’t teach. There’s just an internal belief that she has that she belongs, and she continues to prove it each day, and I think she plays with a chip on her shoulder for the other 13–14 teams that passed on her. And so, yeah, she’s definitely built for it.”

The Sky are building an identity predicated on grit, pace, and relentless execution, and Taylor fits the mold seamlessly.

Veteran guard Natasha Cloud echoed that sentiment, highlighting Taylor’s poise and tireless work ethic:

“Mama, I’m so sorry. Like you remember that woman on the plane that turned around to the front and was like, ‘This m*therfucker’s not real.’ That’s how I feel about Sydney Taylor. I think Sydney Taylor is the perfect example of what it means to be a professional as a rookie. She’s the first one in, last one out. Even when she was hurt over these last two weeks, just getting after it to try to get back to us as quick as she can with her rehab, her on-the-court work. So yeah, this is a cold one to the left of me. We’re all just really proud of her, and in these moments, we know where the ball is going to go, and we have the most confidence in her as our teammates.”

The true mark of a closer is how they operate when the lights are brightest. Just weeks after stunning the defending champion Las Vegas Aces, Taylor delivered again by burying a clutch dagger against the Golden State Valkyries to extend Chicago’s momentum.

When asked where her latest late-game heroics rank compared to her buzzer-beater against Las Vegas, Taylor kept the focus on her continued growth:

“Right behind it, probably. Yeah, right behind it. I’m glad I could step up big for my team tonight. Also, given the fact that I wasn’t really in a rhythm, and I’ve kind of been out of rhythm the past two games, it’s hard coming in and out, but I’m getting there. I’m getting better. I’m getting my treatment, and hopefully, I can be more consistent with my time.”

The rest of the league is officially on notice. Backed by a locker room that doesn’t hesitate when the play is drawn up in crunch time, Taylor has earned an unquestioned green light. The closer has arrived, and the new era of Sky basketball will be written on her terms.

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CHICAGO — While a mounting losing record and roster instability have been the story surrounding the Chicago Sky, on paper, a season that began with postseason aspirations has devolved into an agonizing cycle of narrow defeats and personnel shifts. For a passionate fanbase, watching a year with playoff expectations slip away has been a bitter pill to swallow, raising valid questions about the franchise’s immediate trajectory. This frustration is amplified because a promising 3-1 start was derailed when cornerstone forward Rickea Jackson went down with a season-ending ACL injury.

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CHICAGO — The Phoenix Mercury officially signed forward Maddy Westbeld to a rest-of-season contract on Tuesday. The move follows the Sky’s decision to decline matching the offer sheet. In a league defined by roster turnover and salary cap gymnastics, some players leave an impression that box scores simply cannot capture. Westbeld is one of those players.

The Mercury’s successful roster raid instantly triggered a wave of emotions across the Sky fanbase. On paper, it was a routine roster transaction involving a developmental roster spot. But to anyone tracking Chicago over the last two seasons, the team lost far more than bench depth. They lost a key piece of their culture and a young player the fanbase was deeply invested in seeing develop.

Following her selection as the 16th overall pick out of Notre Dame in the 2025 WNBA Draft, Westbeld carried herself with genuine transparency. In an era often dominated by curated brands, she simply showed up as herself to the facility every day. She avoided being loud or boastful, allowing her character to express itself through a steady work ethic and approachable humility.

Fans quickly appreciated Westbeld’s smooth shooting stroke and joyful approach to the game. What truly cemented that connection, however, was her resilience through adversity.

During her rookie season, she became a vital spark plug off the bench, appearing in 26 games and showcasing a lethal 40% clip from beyond the arc. Her crowning moment came in the regular-season finale, exploding for a career-high 25 points and burying five triples to provide a blueprint of her ceiling.

Yet, when the 2026 season threw roadblock after roadblock in her path, including a lingering training camp foot injury and a fractured thumb around the All-Star break, her bond with the fanbase only deepened. Westbeld navigated consecutive rehab cycles with unmatched grace, refusing to let setbacks diminish her spirit.

Even sidelined or not, her relentless work ethic did not waver, as she routinely closed down the practice court working to get back into the rotation. That grind was fueled by a profound, visible connection to the local community. By cheering aggressively from the sidelines, hunting extra reps in an empty gym, or prioritizing face-to-face fan interactions, she treated “Skytown” like family. In a hyper-corporate sports landscape, Westbeld was a refreshing reminder of the human side of the game.

When the Mercury offer sheet officially went through to finalize her departure, the reality hit Westbeld with intense emotion. Speaking to CSOM Sports, she recalled the exact moment:

“It was so surreal. It didn’t feel real. I remember FaceTiming Kathryn, and she knew before I did. Just being on FaceTime with her, I remember calling my family, and I just wanted to cry. I was praising God. I was in awe of how he’s been moving in my life, especially this summer. I’ve never been so locked into the scriptures. Being able to see him work in real time was truly amazing for me.”

The hardest part of the sudden exit was not packing her bags, but saying goodbye to the community she built in Chicago. Reflecting on those tough final messages, Westbeld noted the sheer volume of relationships she formed across the entire organization:

“Oh my gosh, there were so many. From Dave, my position coach, to Brandon, our security guard, to Krystal, our videographer, to AJ, our practice player, to Tyler [Marsh], to Jeff [Pagliocca]. There are so many people, let alone my teammates.

“I think ‘Slooty’ in particular, Courtney Vandersloot, was one of the hardest. I trained with her. We went to Chicago together. It was just the two of us in the offseason working back from our injuries, building chemistry, and sharing a kid-like love for the game. Now, I never get the chance to play with her. We talked about it constantly. Texting her was a hard goodbye because you never know how much time someone has left in their career, or where the future takes us. Man, she’s the best point guard I’ve never gotten to play with.”

Chicago’s decision to let Westbeld walk had nothing to do with a lack of appreciation or belief. The Mercury simply recognized a talented player and moved aggressively to tender an offer sheet. While the Sky front office wanted to match the numbers and retain Westbeld, a suffocating salary cap situation completely tied the front office’s hands. It served as a standard reminder of how the business side of the sport operates.

Many Sky fans shared their thoughts on social media, noting their disappointment and wondering how her trajectory might have looked with better health and more minutes on the court.

The signing brings a family connection to the Mercury roster, where she joins her older sister, Kathryn Westbeld. On a Phoenix team looking to add rotation depth and build up young pieces, she finds a straightforward path to earn the steady minutes that injuries kept her from finding with the Sky.

While her tenure in Chicago was short and her numbers stayed modest, Westbeld made a clear impression during her time with the franchise. Her approach to the game resonated well with the fan base. As she switches to the Mercury organization, a supportive fan base will look on from afar, grateful for the effort and resilience Westbeld displayed while wearing a Sky uniform.

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LAKE FOREST, Ill — Caleb Williams threw touchdown passes on three straight plays during a 7-on-7 red zone drill to highlight an abbreviated practice at Halas Hall before the Chicago Bears boarded flights to Cincinnati.

The Bears conducted a crisp, 45 minute practice session today, their 15th workout of training camp, acting as a final tune up in shells before traveling to face the Cincinnati Bengals. The shortened session prioritized efficiency and preservation ahead of a highly physical joint practice scheduled for Thursday.

Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen noted the team is anticipating a tough assessment this week. “It is going to be a heck of a test for us,” Allen said. “They have got an incredibly explosive offense with elite perimeter talent, and it will show us exactly where our secondary communication stands.”

The primary focus of the morning was a structured 7-on-7 red zone period that initially belonged to the starting offense.

Quarterback Caleb Williams opened the drill in spectacular fashion. Williams executed three consecutive scoring plays, hitting tight end Colston Loveland for a touchdown before following up with back to back touchdown throws to wide receiver Rome Odunze. Williams concluded his brief appearance completing a short pass to running back Roschon Johnson.

“We wanted to come out with a high level of intentionality today despite the shorter script,” Williams said during his post practice press conference. “On those throws to Rome [Odunze], we are starting to see the game at the exact same speed. When you get down in the tight red zone, windows close fast, so that chemistry has to be instinctive.”

The reserve units also found execution in the red zone. Veteran Case Keenum completed four of his five pass attempts to various targets. Shortly after, third string quarterback Miller Moss capped the drill by throwing a touchdown pass to wideout Omari Kelly in the left corner of the end zone.

With a heavy physical workload arriving tomorrow in Ohio, head coach Ben Johnson deliberately managed player reps.

Several veterans were handed standard maintenance days. Defensive tackle Grady Jarrett and left guard Joe Thuney were given veteran rest days to ensure freshness for the joint practice against the Bengals.

On the injury front, backup quarterback Tyson Bagent remained sidelined due to ongoing hamstring discomfort. Running back Kyle Monangai is considered week-to-week as he nurses a knee injury. Defensively, the secondary remains somewhat depleted, with cornerbacks Tyrique Stevenson, Terell Smith, and Jaylon Jones all missing from practice on Wednesday.

Encouragingly, rookie wide receiver Zavion Thomas increased his practice workload, successfully participating in the 7-on-7 team periods for the first time since August 9th.

The starting left tackle position remains another key focal point as the coaching staff continues testing different line combinations.

Theo Benedet received the bulk of first team repetitions at left tackle today. In a parallel shift, the coaching staff moved linemen Kiran Amegadjie and Jedrick Wills Jr. over to take second team repetitions at right tackle behind estarter Darnell Wright.

“Nobody has locked that spot down yet, and we are not in a rush to name a savior,” head coach Ben Johnson emphasized during media availability. “We are throwing different looks at Theo, Kiran, and Jedrick to see who handles adversity the best. Thursday’s scrimmage against Cincinnati’s front seven will carry a lot of weight in our final evaluation.”

Meanwhile, tackle Ozzy Trapilo continues to be eased back slowly. Trapilo was limited strictly to individual drills as he carefully builds back full confidence after returning from the Physically Unable to Perform list.

Thursday’s joint session with the Bengals will serve as the baseline for playing time allocations. Coach Johnson and his staff plan to use the execution in that scrimmage to determine exactly how many snaps the starting units will see during Saturday’s second preseason contest at Paycor Stadium.

“Going against another team brings a completely different energy,” wide receiver Rome Odunze said. “We have been beating up on each other for weeks. Getting to line up against their defensive backs gives us a fresh canvas to test our timing, and it is vital for our growth before the games count.”

This final tune up underscored a football team operating with clear purpose, combining explosive offensive flashes with strategic roster management. As the scene shifts to Ohio, the training wheels are officially off for Caleb Williams and the offense. Thursday’s joint practice will strip away the familiar comfort of Halas Hall, offering the ultimate measuring stick against an elite AFC opponent to prove whether Wednesday’s red zone explosion was a sign of true growth or merely a good day at the office.

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LAKE FOREST, Ill. — A major depth chart shakeup headlined a highly physical day of practice at Halas Hall, as Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson announced a significant adjustment to the offensive line rotation.

Left tackle Braxton Jones took all first-team repetitions today, while Theo Benedet shifted to second-team reps on the left side. The movement highlights a critical stretch of training camp as the Bears prepare for upcoming joint practices and a preseason matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Coach Ben Johnson stated before practice that the left tackle competition remains fluid. However, today’s alignment provided clear clues about the coaching staff’s current leanings.

“Look, the left tackle competition is wide open right now,” Johnson said. “We need to see who handles the physical strain of consecutive padded days. Braxton earned those first-team reps today, but nobody can afford to coast.”

This shuffling pushed Kiran Amegadjie and veteran Jedrick Wills to second-team right tackle reps, signaling that Amegadjie still has ground to make up in terms of consistency.

While Ozzy Trapilo’s recent activation off the PUP list just seven months after a patellar tendon tear is miraculous, Johnson clarified that the second-year tackle is being brought along slowly.

“Ozzy is working his way back from a major structural injury,” Johnson noted. “He is strictly on his own timeline. We love his progress, but we are not going to rush a player who is only seven months out from a patellar tear.”

The dark cloud over Halas Hall continues to be the health of running back Kyle Monangai. Coach Johnson officially confirmed today that Monangai is considered “week-to-week” with a hyperextended right knee sustained after getting tangled up with defensive tackle Grady Jarrett on Sunday.

“We got relatively good news on Kyle, all things considered,” Johnson explained. “It’s a hyperextension, no major structural tear. He is week-to-week. It’s a blow for our continuity, but it opens a massive door for D’Andre [Swift] and Roschon [Johnson] to carry the load.”

While the team dodged a bullet regarding a long-term ligament tear, Monangai is expected to miss multiple weeks. This elevates veteran D’Andre Swift to a heavier workload, while forcing Roschon Johnson into a definitive RB2 role.

Caleb Williams continues to look extremely comfortable operating alongside a loaded receiving room featuring Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III. The chemistry between Williams and his top targets was a clear highlight during 11-on-11 scrimmage periods. Williams showed sharp timing on intermediate routes, consistently finding openings in the secondary during late-practice red zone drills.

“Caleb is seeing the field incredibly well right now,” Johnson said regarding his young quarterback. “The chemistry with Rome and Luther is building daily. What I like most is his decision-making in the red zone. He’s not forcing the ball; he’s taking what the defense gives him and letting his playmakers work.”

Today’s practice underscored the high stakes of this phase of training camp. While the offense flashes explosive potential through Williams and his dynamic receiving corps, the coaching staff is still actively hunting for the ultimate combination of toughness and reliability up front. With the Cincinnati Bengals arriving shortly for highly anticipated joint sessions, these newly adjusted units will immediately face a true litmus test. The evaluation period is narrowing, and the intensity at Halas Hall is only going to rise.