The Sky kicked off the 2026 season with a four-game road trip that resulted in a stellar 3-1 record. The away stretch debuted a new-look Chicago roster and gave fans an exciting preview into what games might look like throughout this summer.

Chicago earned a dominant first win of the season against the expansion Portland Fire, seeing Kamilla Cardoso and Skylar Diggins complete history by becoming the first players in league history to each record 20-point double-doubles in an opener.

The tough Sky, who pulled out a double-digit win in an environment of nearly 20,000 in Portland, then went to the Bay Area to defeat a then-undefeated Valkyries team in a similar arena. In that game, the Sky came from behind to pull out a victory in a game where they held their opponents to a record low from the field.

The Sky did fall to Phoenix in the third game of the year, but again almost pulled out the victory despite being down by nearly 20 at one point in the game.

They bounced back with an impressive win against the Minnesota Lynx in their final game of the road trip despite being down nearly half their roster.

One key factor of the Sky’s early success is their willingness to share the basketball. Instead of having one super scorer, head coach Tyler Marsh is opting to get everyone involved offensively. In all four games, Chicago consistently had multiple players contributing to the score. In the season opener, all five starters ended the night in double figures which was made possible by great ball movement and an unselfish style of play. 

Night in and night out, multiple players stepped up and stood out to help deliver a successful trip. Rickea Jackson made her presence known early on both ends of the court averaging 18.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks. During her first few games on the Sky, she established herself as a consistent and confident scorer on all three levels.

In the opener, Jackson set her career high for free throws, and later in the trip set her career high for blocks. She finished one point shy of matching her career high in points in Phoenix.

Needless to say, Jackson was primed for a career year before sustaining a knee injury.

While most rookies take time to settle into the pace and pressure of the league, Gabriela Jaquez jumped right in. She showed fearlessness in being physical and driving to the basket. In the game against the Lynx, Jaquez led the team with 20 points and showcased just how dangerous of a two-way player she can be. Her instincts also stood out, seemingly always being in the right place at the right time.

One of the most impressive parts of Chicago’s first few games was their defensive showing. Although not reflected in the box score, the Sky suffocated their opponents defensively, forcing multiple shot clock violations and ball deflections. 2026 trade acquisition Jacy Sheldon contributed heavily by staying glued to her defensive assignment and averaging 2.0 steals and 1.0 blocks per game.

Another obstacle the team faced was a number of injuries. Before the road trip began, the Sky were already without Courtney Vandersloot, Azurá Stevens, DiJonai Carrington, and Maddy Westbeld. During the trip, the injury troubles continued to plague the Sky, between Jackson and Skylar Diggins missing nearly two full games after suffering an eye injury.

With nearly a starting lineup of players unavailable, the rest of the team took on much bigger roles. Natasha Cloud and Rachel Banham stepped up significantly by organizing the offense in Minnesota. Elizabeth Williams and Kamilla Cardoso stayed strong in the paint and smothered opponents at the rim. The Sky’s tenacity showed that despite being a new team, they have already built great chemistry on the court.

Although the season is still very young, the Sky have made an early statement to the rest of the league. They proved they can close out close games, create disruption on the defensive end, and share the ball effortlessly. 

As Chicago prepares for their home opener, fans should be thrilled about the potential this team has shown early on and bring that excitement to Wintrust Arena on Wednesday May 20, as the Sky take on the Dallas Wings at 8 p.m. CT.