2021 Chicago Sky season

The 2021 Chicago Sky season was the franchise's 16th season in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and its third season under head coach James Wade. In the postseason, the Sky won their first WNBA championship.

The offseason was marked by two-time WNBA MVP Candace Parker joining the team. The Sky started the season with two wins but followed with a seven-game losing streak through mid-June. However, they went on a seven-game winning streak that included back-to-back wins over eventual top seed Connecticut. They entered the mid-season Olympic break with a 10–10 record. After the break, they recorded a 4–3 record in August, including back-to-back road wins in Seattle. In September, they began with a road loss and closed out the season with a four game home-stand that they split 2–2, finishing the season 16–16.

The Sky entered the playoffs as the sixth seed. They hosted the Dallas Wings in the First Round, and won in dominating fashion, 81–64. They faced the Minnesota Lynx on the road in the Second Round, winning the game 89–76. Facing the first-seeded Connecticut Sun in a best-of-three semifinals series, they won the Game 1 in double overtime but lost Game 2 on the road. The series returned home to Chicago, where the Sky won both games to win the series 3–1.

The Sky reached the Finals for the first time since 2014. They were only the third team to reach the finals with a record of .500 or below, and the lowest seed to do so since the new playoff format was introduced in 2016. In the WNBA Finals, the Sky defeated the Phoenix Mercury in four games to win their first WNBA championship. Their only loss came in overtime in Game 2.

WNBA draft
The Sky made the following selections in the 2021 WNBA draft on December 4, 2020.

Preseason

 * - style="background:#fcc;"
 * 1
 * May 9
 * @ Indiana
 * L 65–82
 * Kahleah Copper (14)
 * Boyd-Jones Mack (6)
 * Brittany Boyd-Jones (3)
 * Bankers Life Fieldhouse No Fans
 * 0–1
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 2
 * May 11
 * Indiana
 * W 83–70
 * Astou Ndour-Fall (13)
 * Candace Parker (6)
 * Brittany Boyd-Jones (5)
 * Wintrust Arena No Fans
 * 1–1

Regular season

 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 1
 * May 15
 * @ Washington
 * W 70–56
 * Kahleah Copper (19)
 * Parker Copper (8)
 * Diamond DeShields (5)
 * Entertainment and Sports Arena 1,050
 * 1–0
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 2
 * May 19
 * @ Atlanta
 * W 85–77
 * Kahleah Copper (23)
 * Astou Ndour-Fall (11)
 * Courtney Vandersloot (8)
 * Gateway Center Arena 689
 * 2–0
 * - style="background:#fcc;"
 * 3
 * May 23
 * New York
 * L 85–93
 * Diamond DeShields (22)
 * Ruthy Hebard (10)
 * Courtney Vandersloot (16)
 * Wintrust Arena 1,332
 * 2–1
 * - style="background:#fcc;"
 * 4
 * May 25
 * Atlanta
 * L 83–90
 * Kahleah Copper (21)
 * DeShields Ndour-Fall (9)
 * Courtney Vandersloot (6)
 * Wintrust Arena 1,004
 * 2–2
 * - style="background:#fcc;"
 * 5
 * May 28
 * Los Angeles
 * L 61–76
 * Diamond DeShields (14)
 * Astou Ndour-Fall (9)
 * Courtney Vandersloot (6)
 * Wintrust Arena 1,124
 * 2–3
 * - style="background:#fcc;"
 * 6
 * May 30
 * Los Angeles
 * L 79–82
 * Courtney Vandersloot (28)
 * Astou Ndour-Fall (12)
 * Courtney Vandersloot (7)
 * Wintrust Arena 1,124
 * 2–4


 * - style="background:#fcc;"
 * 7
 * June 1
 * Phoenix
 * L 83–84
 * Diamond DeShields (26)
 * Ruthy Hebard (9)
 * Courtney Vandersloot (10)
 * Wintrust Arena 1,217
 * 2–5
 * - style="background:#fcc;"
 * 8
 * June 3
 * @ Phoenix
 * L 74–77
 * Kahleah Copper (14)
 * Kahleah Copper (8)
 * Courtney Vandersloot (9)
 * Phoenix Suns Arena 3,819
 * 2–6
 * - style="background:#fcc;"
 * 9
 * June 5
 * @ Los Angeles
 * L 63–68
 * Kahleah Copper (15)
 * Ruthy Hebard (10)
 * Courtney Vandersloot (5)
 * Los Angeles Convention Center 430
 * 2–7
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 10
 * June 9
 * Indiana
 * W 92–76
 * Courtney Vandersloot (17)
 * Ruthy Hebard (9)
 * Courtney Vandersloot (9)
 * Wintrust Arena 1,090
 * 3–7
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 11
 * June 12
 * @ Indiana
 * W 83–79
 * Candace Parker (20)
 * Candace Parker (14)
 * Courtney Vandersloot (5)
 * Indiana Farmers Coliseum No Fans
 * 4–7
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 12
 * June 15
 * @ Minnesota
 * W 105–89
 * Allie Quigley (23)
 * Candace Parker (7)
 * Courtney Vandersloot (13)
 * Target Center 2,024
 * 5–7
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 13
 * June 17
 * Connecticut
 * W 81–75
 * Kahleah Copper (18)
 * Copper Parker (8)
 * Courtney Vandersloot (10)
 * Wintrust Arena 1,293
 * 6–7
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 14
 * June 19
 * Connecticut
 * W 91–81
 * Courtney Vandersloot (18)
 * Kahleah Copper (9)
 * Courtney Vandersloot (11)
 * Wintrust Arena 1,293
 * 7–7
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 15
 * June 22
 * @ New York
 * W 92–72
 * Candace Parker (23)
 * Candace Parker (12)
 * Courtney Vandersloot (10)
 * Barclays Center 1,419
 * 8–7
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 16
 * June 24
 * @ New York
 * W 91–68
 * Copper DeShields (18)
 * Candace Parker (11)
 * Courtney Vandersloot (9)
 * Barclays Center 2,148
 * 9–7
 * - style="background:#fcc;"
 * 17
 * June 27
 * @ Connecticut
 * L 58–74
 * Copper Quigley (11)
 * DeShields Dolson (6)
 * Courtney Vandersloot (7)
 * Mohegan Sun Arena 2,014
 * 9–8
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 18
 * June 30
 * @ Dallas
 * W 91–81
 * Kahleah Copper (17)
 * Candace Parker (10)
 * Courtney Vandersloot (12)
 * College Park Center 1,778
 * 10–8


 * - style="background:#fcc;"
 * 19
 * July 2
 * @ Dallas
 * L 91–100
 * Candace Parker (22)
 * Candace Parker (7)
 * Courtney Vandersloot (9)
 * College Park Center 2,187
 * 10–9
 * - style="background:#fcc;"
 * 20
 * July 10
 * Washington
 * L 85–89 (OT)
 * Stefanie Dolson (20)
 * Candace Parker (13)
 * Courtney Vandersloot (15)
 * Wintrust Arena 8,331
 * 10–10


 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 21
 * August 15
 * Seattle
 * W 87–85
 * Kahleah Copper (19)
 * Candace Parker (9)
 * Courtney Vandersloot (11)
 * Wintrust Arena 6,231
 * 11–10
 * - style="background:#fcc;"
 * 22
 * August 17
 * Dallas
 * L 76–80
 * Allie Quigley (27)
 * Dolson Parker (6)
 * Courtney Vandersloot (12)
 * Wintrust Arena 3,902
 * 11–11
 * - style="background:#fcc;"
 * 23
 * August 21
 * Minnesota
 * L 95–101
 * Quigley Vandersloot (27)
 * Allie Quigley (5)
 * Courtney Vandersloot (8)
 * Wintrust Arena 5,036
 * 11–12
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 24
 * August 24
 * @ Atlanta
 * W 86–79
 * Allie Quigley (21)
 * Candace Parker (9)
 * Courtney Vandersloot (10)
 * Gateway Center Arena 1,292
 * 12–12
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 25
 * August 27
 * @ Seattle
 * W 73–69
 * Kahleah Copper (26)
 * Azurá Stevens (10)
 * Courtney Vandersloot (8)
 * Angel of the Winds Arena 3,650
 * 13–12
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 26
 * August 29
 * @ Seattle
 * W 107–75
 * Candace Parker (25)
 * Parker Stevens (9)
 * Courtney Vandersloot (10)
 * Angel of the Winds Arena 3,750
 * 14–12
 * - style="background:#fcc;"
 * 27
 * August 31
 * @ Phoenix
 * L 83–103
 * Kahleah Copper (18)
 * Azurá Stevens (9)
 * Parker Vandersloot (4)
 * Phoenix Suns Arena 5,838
 * 14–13


 * - style="background:#fcc;"
 * 28
 * September 2
 * @ Las Vegas
 * L 83–90
 * Candace Parker (30)
 * Candace Parker (14)
 * Courtney Vandersloot (8)
 * Michelob Ultra Arena 5,150
 * 14–14
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 29
 * September 5
 * Las Vegas
 * W 92–84
 * Allie Quigley (22)
 * Candace Parker (13)
 * Candace Parker (8)
 * Wintrust Arena 5,210
 * 15–14
 * - style="background:#fcc;"
 * 30
 * September 12
 * Washington
 * L 71–79
 * Azurá Stevens (18)
 * Candace Parker (11)
 * Courtney Vandersloot (6)
 * Wintrust Arena 4,707
 * 15–15
 * - style="background:#fcc;"
 * 31
 * September 17
 * Las Vegas
 * L 70–103
 * Candace Parker (20)
 * Azurá Stevens (6)
 * Courtney Vandersloot (6)
 * Wintrust Arena 4,911
 * 15–16
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 32
 * September 19
 * Indiana
 * W 98–87
 * Diamond DeShields (30)
 * Allie Quigley (8)
 * Diamond DeShields (6)
 * Wintrust Arena N/A
 * 16–16

Playoffs

 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 1
 * September 23
 * Dallas
 * W 81–64
 * Kahleah Copper (23)
 * Candace Parker (15)
 * Candace Parker (7)
 * Wintrust Arena 4,672
 * 1–0


 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 1
 * September 26
 * @ Minnesota
 * W 89–76
 * Courtney Vandersloot (19)
 * Kahleah Copper (10)
 * Courtney Vandersloot (5)
 * Target Center 4,334
 * 1–0


 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 1
 * September 28
 * @ Connecticut
 * W 101–95 (2OT)
 * Candace Parker (22)
 * Courtney Vandersloot (10)
 * Courtney Vandersloot (18)
 * Mohegan Sun Arena 4,720
 * 1–0
 * - style="background:#fcc;"
 * 2
 * September 30
 * @ Connecticut
 * L 68–79
 * Kahleah Copper (13)
 * Candace Parker (7)
 * Courtney Vandersloot (6)
 * Mohegan Sun Arena 6,088
 * 1–1
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 3
 * October 3
 * Connecticut
 * W 86–83
 * Kahleah Copper (26)
 * Azurá Stevens (11)
 * Courtney Vandersloot (13)
 * Wintrust Arena 7,421
 * 2–1
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 4
 * October 6
 * Connecticut
 * W 79–69
 * Courtney Vandersloot (19)
 * Candace Parker (9)
 * Candace Parker (7)
 * Wintrust Arena
 * 3-1


 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 1
 * October 10
 * @ Phoenix
 * W 91–77
 * Kahleah Copper (21)
 * Kahleah Copper (10)
 * Courtney Vandersloot (11)
 * Footprint Center 10,191
 * 1–0
 * - style="background:#fcc;"
 * 2
 * October 13
 * @ Phoenix
 * L 86–91 (OT)
 * Courtney Vandersloot (20)
 * Copper Parker Stevens (9)
 * Courtney Vandersloot (14)
 * Footprint Center 13,685
 * 1–1
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 3
 * October 15
 * Phoenix
 * W 86–50
 * Kahleah Copper (22)
 * Azurá Stevens (6)
 * Courtney Vandersloot (10)
 * Wintrust Arena 10,378
 * 2–1
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 4
 * October 17
 * Phoenix
 * W 80–74
 * Allie Quigley (26)
 * Candace Parker (13)
 * Courtney Vandersloot (15)
 * Wintrust Arena 10,378
 * 3–1

Statistics
Source: