Now back with Chicago Sky, Courtney Vandersloot looks toward team's future
Courtney Vandersloot is a little bit older now at 36, but she feels new again the veteran point guard returns to the Chicago Sky.
Vandersloot spent the first 12 seasons of her decorated career in Chicago. She has now returned after winning her second WNBA title with the New York Liberty.
Vandersloot went to New York in 2023 after playing her entire 12-year career up to that point with the Sky — and winning a championship in Chicago in 2021. She remains the all-time leader for the Sky in games, minutes, assists, and steals.
She said Chicago still feels like home.
"It's very familiar. You know, obviously, a lot has changed and it's very new, but you know, this is home — and it's definitely where my heart is," Vandersloot said.
Meanwhile, being the veteran and the mentor of the group is a role that comes naturally to Vandersloot.
"I've been kind of that status for a while now, just because I've played so many years," she said. "But it was important for me to come back and kind of kind of, I liked what they were doing, who they were building around, and just wanted to, you know, be able to still lead a team, and just teach the young ones, and continue this franchise for a championship caliber."
This season is a new beginning not just for Vandersloot, but for the Sky franchise — with a new coach in Tyler Marsh, and another reset or rebuild. She said she is impressed with what she has seen coming together.
"I knew that it was going to take some time. It was all about finding the right people, finding the right fit, and just making sure that they had the people that they wanted to build around," she said. "You know, I think them being able to find Tyler, and [general manager] Jeff [Pagliocca], and him being so aligned on what they wanted to do, how they wanted it to look, and then just getting some vets in here — great youth, obviously, and just building around that."
Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso, the team's No. 1 and No. 3 overall draft picks in 2024, are now shining for the Sky. In this year's draft, the Sky picked up Texas Christian University All-American Hailey Van Lith at No. 11, and the 6-foot 4-inch Ajša Sivka of Slovenia at No. 9.
Vandersloot said Reese and Cardoso are great pieces to build around.
"When you have two post players like that, sometimes, you know, teams never get that — and they were able to get that in the same draft, so I think that's really special," she said, "and they talked about having vets around — shooters to create space for them — and I think that's exactly what they did this season."
Are younger players receptive to Vandersloot as a veteran voice? She of course has the résumé and the rings.
"I think that, you know, I've seen nothing but respect — and they want it. They crave it. They want the guidance. They want to be great, and I think they understand that for them to be great, they need great players around, and they need great leaders around them, and so I've seen nothing but receptive," she said. "Obviously, we're going to go through some things, and it's not always going to be easy. So we've got to continue that, and just continue to test each other and build."
Does Vandersloot envision winning one more WNBA title while she's still playing?
"I think it's realistic. You can see how fast things change in the WNBA, and you know, for us to be able to do it this year, I think that's a little unrealistic," she said. "But for us to be able to figure out, you know, lay the foundation — know what we need to push that envelope—I think it's definitely realistic."