Courtney Vandersloot could be the key to the Chicago Sky making the playoffs this season.
The 36-year-old guard spent 12 seasons with the Sky ever since she was drafted with the No. 3 pick in the 2011 WNBA Draft. She immediately made her mark as a passer and as a leader, gaining five All-Star and All-WNBA selections in her campaign to become one of the best point guards the league has ever seen. While she took her talents to the Big Apple in 2023, Vandersloot said she always left the door open in a Monday conference.
"You just never know," Vandersloot said, via Chicago Sports Network. "Obviously, Chicago is a very special place to me. I was drafted here.
"I will never close the door on them. To be back, I'm not that surprised. It feels right."
That open door could lead to more than meets the eye for a rising Sky squad with a healthy mix of veteran and budding talent.
Vandersloot can be an incredible mentor to Hailey Van Lith, one of the Sky's newest additions from the 2025 WNBA Draft. The accomplished guard has already been a resource to Van Lith, who will have the opportunity to play in a backup role for Chicago this season. Will Vandersloot be able to shoulder a larger role with the Sky this year as their starting point guard? How can she impact the squad in her first season back?
Vandersloot must be the captain of the Sky's offense
Just as she has in years past, Vandersloot must be a leader and help strengthen the Sky's offense back to where it once was.
The 5-foot-8 guard proved she could be a winner and a reliable guard during her time with Chicago. She has led the WNBA in assists on seven different occasions, including when she averaged 10 assists per game and took fourth place in MVP voting in 2020. She will again be the presumed starter heading into the 2025 WNBA season, where she will need to be the engine of the Sky's offense after they lacked playmaking options last year.
Vandersloot will also be key in the growth and development of Reese, who said it was a "breath of fresh air" to have plenty of veterans who can have her back on Monday. Reese can be a solid pick-and-roll partner with Vandersloot, but can also learn from the veteran guard to continue growing and developing as a player and her ascent into a superstar.