WNBA Free Agency: Courtney Vandersloot announces she is leaving Chicago Sky after 12 seasons

No later than WNBA Free Agency Bombshell, future Hall of Famer point guard Courtney Vandersloot, took to social media Tuesday to announce that she will be leaving Chicago Sky after 12 seasons with the franchise. Vandersloot didn’t say where she will be signing instead.

“Dear Chicago, I am so grateful to you” Vandersloot wrote, partly in a letter to the city. “I first set foot in Chicago when I landed in my rookie year for training camp. Twelve years later it has become a place I call home. One of the greatest blessings in my life has been meeting my wife and building a championship team together in her city.

“Although I never planned for this day to come, I’ve decided it’s time for me to make a fresh start. I will forever be grateful for the memories I made during my time here. I look forward to a new chapter, with a new team, in a new city, knowing that Chicago, its fans and the Sky organization will always hold a special place in my heart.”

Vandersloot, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2011 WNBA draft, made the All-Star Game in her rookie season and has slowly become one of the league’s all-time point guards. She is third all-time with 2,385 assists and with the retirement of Sue Bird she is now the active leader. In addition, she has the league record for total assists in a season (300) and highest assists-per-game mark for a single season (10.0).

Additionally, she’s a five-time All-WNBA performer and a four-time All-Star, but her crowning glory came in 2021 when she helped Sky win the first title in franchise history. In Game 1 of this season’s semifinals, she made history with what was then only her second triple-double in a playoff game. She also recorded 15 assists in the title win in Game 4 of 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 played (10,145), assists (2,385) and steals (457), to name just a few categories, Vandersloot in many ways is the sky. She was the longest-serving player in the franchise and literally grew up in town. Prior to her arrival, Sky had never won a season let alone made the playoffs; In their 12 seasons, they made the playoffs eight times, made two finals, and won a title. It will be a long, long time before anyone can match Vandersloot’s influence.

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 the New York Liberty. So these two teams are now the most likely targets for Vandersloot. When the storm comes, 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.