The Sky will be well-represented in the 2022 WNBA All-Star Game at Wintrust Arena after Courtney Vandersloot, Kahleah Copper and Emma Meesseman were announced as reserves, joining seven-time All-Star Candace Parker and general manager/coach James Wade.
Parker was named a starter last week and Wade the coach of the All-Star team drafted by Breanna Stewart and co-captain Sylvia Fowles. Las Vegas Aces coach Becky Hammon will lead the team drafted by A’ja Wilson, who received the most fan votes, and her co-captain Sue Bird.
Saturday, Wilson and Stewart along with their co-captains will draft their teams, starting with the pool of starters before selecting from the pool of reserve players.
The Aces and Sky lead the league in All-Star representation with four total players selected and their coaching staffs. The Aces, however, had three players named starters. Joining Wilson with the starters is Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young. The Aces' fourth All-Star is Dearica Hamby, making her second All-Star appearance.
This marks Vandersloot’s fourth All-Star nod and Copper and Meesseman’s second. Meesseman’s last All-Star appearance was in 2015, while this is Copper’s second consecutive All-Star selection.
“This is my second home,” Copper said. “To do it in Chicago to have our fans come out and support us, would mean a lot. We deserve it. We’ve played such good basketball. We have such good players individually and we find a way to put it all together and play together.”
The Sky were also nominated for three ESPY awards on Tuesday: Best Team and Parker for Best Athlete and Best WNBA Player.
Copper participated in a limited capacity in Tuesday’s Sky practice after an injury to her back coming off the team’s three-game road trip.
She said she was mostly just dealing with some soreness and will be joining some of her veteran peers for extra treatment before practice and games to proactively manage her back pain. She played five on five to end their practice and appeared to be moving without pain.
“I have to come in a little earlier,” Copper said. “I have to activate and join the old people crew. It’s been a big year, from playing here, winning a championship, going to Spain and coming right back and getting back at it. It’s important for me to take care of my body.”
Copper and assistant coach Emre Vatansever said her availability in Wednesday’s 11 a.m. game against the Connecticut Sun will be a game-time decision. Vatansever has taken on the role of head coach in Wade’s absence who was placed in health and safety protocols on Sunday.
According to the league’s guidelines, he will be cleared to return after producing two negative tests at least 24 hours apart. According to the team’s media availability schedule, though, Vatansever will be handling pregame media ahead of the Sky’s game against the Phoenix Mercury on Saturday. This signals that the Sky expects Wade to remain away from the team for the remainder of the week.
The Sky are coming off a three-game win streak that included a history-making comeback win against the top-ranked Aces.
All season, Wade and his team have been adamant that the team’s rhythm would take time to develop with the new additions of Meesseman, Rebekah Gardner and Julie Allemand as well as the late arrival of Copper. Over the last three games, the Sky have the best net rating (12.9) in the league.
With four games remaining before the All-Star break, the Sky are one game behind the Aces in league standings and they feel they have yet to play their best basketball.
“I think we’ve shown flashes of greatness,” Copper said. “I think you haven’t seen the best. We’re getting really close.”
