In the latest WNBA free agency bombshell, future Hall of Fame point guard Courtney Vandersloot announced on social media on Tuesday that she will be leaving the Chicago Sky after 12 seasons with the franchise. Vandersloot did not say where she will sign instead.
"Dear Chicago, I am so grateful to you," Vandersloot wrote, in part, in a letter to the city. "My first time ever setting foot in Chicago was the day I landed for training camp my rookie year. Twelve years later, it became a place I call home. One of the biggest blessings in my life was meeting my wife and together building a championship team in her city.
"Although I never planned for this day to come, I have decided that it is time for me to pursue a new beginning. I will forever be grateful for the memories I have made during my time here. As I look ahead to a new chapter, with a new team, in a new city, know that Chicago, its fans and the Sky organization will always hold a special place in my heart."
The No. 3 overall pick in the 2011 WNBA Draft, Vandersloot made the All-Star Game in her rookie season and slowly became one of the league's all-time point guards. She is third all-time in assists with 2,385, and with Sue Bird's retirement, is now the active leader. In addition, she has the league record for total assists in a season (300) and the highest assist-per-game mark for a single season (10.0).
Furthermore, she's a five-time All-WNBA performer and four-time All-Star, but her crowning achievement came in 2021 when she helped the Sky win the first title in franchise history. During Game 1 of that season's semifinals, she made history with what was, at the time, just the second triple-double ever in a playoff game. She also registered 15 assists in the title-clinching Game 4 win in the Finals, and for the entire postseason, she averaged 13 points, 5.4 rebounds and 10.2 assists per game.
The franchise leader in games played (359), minutes (10,145), assists (2,385) and steals (457), just to name a few categories, Vandersloot in many ways is the Sky. She was the franchise's longest-tenured player and had, quite literally, grown up in the city. Before her arrival, the Sky had never even had a winning season, let alone made the playoffs; in her 12 seasons, they made the playoffs eight times, had two Finals appearances and won a title. It's going to be a long, long time before someone can match Vandersloot's impact.
Now, the big question is, where will she go? Reports early in free agency indicated she was interested in playing with Breanna Stewart, and the former MVP has narrowed her choices to either the Seattle Storm or New York Liberty. Those two teams, then, are now the likeliest destinations for Vandersloot. If it's the Storm, Vandersloot will return home to Washington state, where she grew up and went to college; if it's the Liberty, Vandersloot will join Stewart, Jonquel Jones and Sabrina Ionescu to form a super team.
