CHICAGO — Going Sky High! The Sky’s the Limit! The Windy City Winners! Those are the headlines after the Chicago Sky beat the Phoenix Mercury in the 2021 WNBA Finals to win their first title Sunday as the league wrapped up its 25th anniversary season.
But as soon as a champion is crowned in sports, questions arise about what’s next. Was this WNBA season the last go-around for longtime stars such as the Seattle Storm’s Sue Bird, the Minnesota Lynx’s Sylvia Fowles, Chicago’s Candace Parker and Phoenix’s Diana Taurasi? Who will win the 2022 WNBA draft lottery? What are the biggest storylines to watch in free agency? Is expansion on the horizon?
So as Parker, point guard Courtney Vandersloot and WNBA Finals MVP Kahleah Copper continue to celebrate Chicago’s championship, we look at what’s to come in a busy offseason — and what will most impact 2022 — now that the 2021 season is in the books.
1. Which team is the favorite for the 2022 title?
The 2021 champions went 16-16 in the regular season and were the No. 6 seed. Chicago had its ups and downs in large part due to injuries. With everyone healthy and the chemistry clicking, the Sky became the team that some observers projected back in May — a championship contender, with free-agent signee Parker as the missing piece.
Can they do it again? No WNBA team has repeated since the 2001-02 Los Angeles Sparks, and the Sky have some work to do in free agency. But as reigning champs, they deserve a mention for 2022. Same for runner-up Phoenix, which awaits Taurasi’s decision on whether she will return for her 18th season.
The Connecticut Sun and Las Vegas Aces, who had the best records this season, both lost in…
Source : espn
