He used the words \u2018\u2018put a plan together,\u2019\u2019 \u2018\u2018we needed to improve dramatically\u2019\u2019 and \u2018\u2018we wanted a new identity,\u2019\u2019 all damn near in the same sentence. Letting the world \u2014 or the very chosen few who cared to listen or cared at all \u2014 know that this new was going to be different from the last new.<\/p>\n
And the other new he inherited when he got here.<\/p>\n
Sky general manager Jeff Pagliocca also went on to say, in this first week of the post-Angel Reese life of the team he blew up (for the second time in his three-year tenure), only to piece back together again: \u2018\u2018We landed our targets.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n
Dope. Now the target \u2014 mainly because of their trade of Reese \u2014 is openly on them.<\/p>\n
Finally the talking points, corporate-speak and daily media-generated filibustering have come to an end. The here is now. And this iteration of this new version \u2014 and \u2018\u2018new-look,\u2019\u2019 as some have poured into calling them \u2014 of the Sky in unrivaled theory has stepped forth with hope that we believe their sale of \u2018\u2018things will no longer be the same.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a hard sell, one many of the franchises in Chicago have been gaslighting their fans \u2014 both sustained and lost \u2014 with to lure us into their pretense that way more often than not turns out to be false. But with those others, their new has been incremental, a slow burn to resurrection. The Sky? This is GLP-1 on Ozempic.<\/p>\n
Getting \u2018\u2018All Gas\u2019\u2019 Gabriela Jaquez with the No. 5 overall pick; getting Azura Stevens back; getting Skylar Diggins and Rickea Jackson; getting Ajsa Sivka (the No.10 overall pick last year who decided to stay and finish high school and further develop in the Spanish league) to come to America to hoop; getting \u2018\u2018Sloot\u2019\u2019 (the great Courtney Vandersloot) back after she missed practically the whole season last season because of her ACL tear \u2014 nothing\u2019s going to be the same. Which is the problem.<\/p>\n
Problem being, if things are going to be the same for the other teams \u2014 specifically in the Eastern Conference \u2014 the Sky have to ascend above just being new and different for all of the changes made to make sense. Because even as things aren\u2019t at all the same here but remain primarily the same everywhere else, the Sky still have … problems.<\/p>\n
The Dream, 16 games above .500 last season, one of only three teams last season to win 30 games before losing to the Fever (without Caitlin Clark) in a final Game 3 by two points, added Reese to their bona fides. Their same \u2014 for the most part, even without adding Angel \u2014 is better than the Sky\u2019s better.<\/p>\n
The Liberty, champs two seasons ago, finished 10 games above .500 last season and by adding Satou Sabally became the possible front-runners with the Aces to own the 2026 chip. Their same and better is better than the Sky\u2019s better.<\/p>\n
The Mystics, who finished six games better than the Sky in the regular season last season and just added three major first-round rookies, including Lauren Betts and Cotie McMahon, along with Rori Harmon in the second round of the draft to go with the two rookies they drafted last season (Kiki Iriafen and Sonia Citron), both of whom were named All-Stars, yeah, their better is more of an upgrade than the Sky\u2019s better.<\/p>\n
Anoint the Fever being conference finalists last season. Again, mostly without CC22 on the floor. Simply look at the top of their rotation, then look at the Sky\u2019s new one. The Fever\u2019s same \u2014 especially with the return of a healthy CC22 \u2014 is arguably better than the Sky\u2019s better. With proof that they can win together.<\/p>\n
And depending on what happens with the Sun \u2014 who, by the way, finished last season one game ahead of the Sky \u2014 in their final season in Connecticut, the Sky are still looking on paper and screen at being on the low end (fifth or sixth place) in a seven-team conference race to finish better than they have three seasons and counting.<\/p>\n
Mountains.<\/p>\n
Recently, someone outside of Chicago made a claim: \u2018\u2018The worst GM in all of sports, his name is Jeff Pagliocca, and he\u2019s the Chicago Sky GM\u2019\u2019 is what DC radio host Chuck Montiano claimed on KFPA 94.1FM\u2019s \u2018\u2018The Collision.\u2019\u2019 Hard to accept when, in the same city, during the same time, we\u2019ve had AKME (Bulls), Kyle Davidson (Blackhawks) and Chris Getz (White Sox).<\/p>\n
But it verifies there\u2019s a target even outside of Chi on Pagliocca and the Sky franchise to outperform their new presentation of new. To imitate what the Bears did last season (without stealing the wonderkid head coach from every other team in the league; without the QB prodigy) with prayers that two or three teams above them do what the Lions and Vikings did: fall.<\/p>\n
Then hope the new \u2018\u2018new\u2019\u2019 lasts.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m always gonna be grateful for that because I did experience a lot of great things,\u201d Reese said Friday of her time in Chicago. \u201cI enjoyed being able to grow within my first two years but I wanted more.\u201d<\/p>\n [month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone] read<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/cst.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/0eacaac\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/3936x2632+0+0\/resize\/840x562!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F24%2Ff8%2F577156ce4d91ba409840104bedea%2Fap26107764950973.jpg\")
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\n \u00a0\n <\/p>\n
![\"Indiana](\"https:\/\/cst.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/442a1f4\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/5419x3613+0+0\/resize\/840x560!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F4a%2F86%2Fab815157472d8f0b121b30c4bee2%2Fap24130740387178.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"B10](\"https:\/\/cst.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/930ac6a\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/3863x2575+0+0\/resize\/840x560!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fa9%2Fec%2Fd252bd444d92985109e077a0a2de%2Fb10-michigan-indiana-basketball.jpg\")
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