Chicago Sky Press Conference Quotes
December 13, 2016 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Chicago Sky News Release
Chicago Sky Principal Owner Michael Alter
(Opening statement...)
"Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you all for being here. My name is Michael Alter, I'm the owner of the Chicago Sky and I am really delighted that you're all here. As you're aware, about 60 days ago we started a search for a new head coach and GM of the Chicago Sky. We engaged in a pretty thorough process that I led, along with my primary partner John Rogers as well as [Chicago Sky President and CEO] Adam Fox. We were also fortunate to have some of the players work with us, as well. We had a very clear vision of what we were looking for but we really didn't have any preconceived notions of who. During this process we interviewed former WNBA coaches, WNBA assistants, former NBA coaches, NBA assistants, college men's and women's coaches, we even interviewed people who had never coached before but were interesting people. It was a pretty thoughtful process. Through it all, Amber, who I told a couple weeks back, certainly started out as a long shot but the first time I spoke with her and as she moved through the process she continued to stand out and impress us and her star just kept rising and rising."
"We are thrilled to have Amber as part of our team here. She is a basketball lifer and is filled with basketball from both her parents and her siblings. In addition to playing basketball she has spent her entire adult life in the coaching ranks, so she has basketball in her blood. In case any of you are wondering, we are well aware of the fact that she has never been a head coach before. Any time you make a hire, there's a risk involved and certainly this is the case here, but it's a risk that we're extremely comfortable with. We have a very strong belief in Amber and think she is a perfect candidate for our team. She brings an incredible youthful energy and positive approach to the game along with a deep knowledge of basketball, and a great passion and intellectual curiosity. She's also going to be a great leader and a great communicator. We're very excited to have her, and with that, I'm very thrilled to introduce to you the new Head Coach and GM of the Chicago Sky, Amber Stocks."
(On whether defense was a focal point of the coaching search...)
"I don't think there was a particular tipping point. I thought in general we needed to get better, certainly defense was one of our weakness. Part of it is those intangibles as well. Frankly, building a championship culture. Our goal is not just to win a championship; we want to have a culture that's sustainable for a period of time where we're consistently one of the top two or three teams in the league. That's something we've laid a great foundation for, but we need to finish it off. I think it was more of a bigger picture than just a particular aspect of the game."
(On the thought process when hiring a new coach...)
"Again, we started with a vision of what we were trying to accomplish, related to building a culture. That word 'culture' is used a lot with us. It's a big part of what we think we need or we believe in. We wanted to find someone who also shared that vision and also we felt had the skills and ability to build that. There's a lot of different things that go into have a positive culture, certain values and beliefs, as Amber alluded to earlier, making sure the players are buying in and committing to it. That's a very critical part. Communication is a huge part, so there are all those different pieces of it that were aspects that we looked at."
(On extending Elena Delle Donne's contract...)
"I'm not sure that the timing matters. The process we're going through right now, Amber's now officially the GM and Head Coach, so our top priority is to assess the roster. Free agency starts in January and I think part of that process is, this is with every player, not just Elena who's a restricted free agent, is a conversation about what our plans are and finding out who is committed to what we're doing and who will embrace what we're doing and who wants to be here. Then we want to sign players as quickly as we can both through free agency and on our own roster."
(On community outreach...)
"Nothing is going to change in that regard, it continues to be an enormous priority. It's very much a part of our DNA. The Chicago Sky is very much a part of the community and vice versa. We will continue those efforts, and, actually, try to accelerate those as well. That's going to absolutely be an important part of who we are. That was an important criteria as well for us in a coach. Obviously, the basketball is the most important thing, but because it's such an important part of our DNA, having a coach that believes that as well, who is excited about that and embraces that was important to us, and Amber certainly feels that way."
Chicago Sky Head Coach and General Manager Amber Stocks
(Opening statement...)
"I'd like to start and thank Michael [Alter] and the ownership group for all that you've done for the Chicago Sky and thank you for putting your faith in me. I really appreciate it. I am humbled to be here, and it's going to be a lot of work. The work that the current staff of the Chicago Sky is doing, all the staff members who are in the offices working around the clock year-round, they are doing a great job of laying the foundation and I am really excited to work with such a great group of people. Also I want to take the time to thank [Head Coach] Brian Agler and [General Manager] Penny Toler with the Los Angeles Sparks, who took the time to share a lot of their insight and knowledge with me, that will allow me to be well equipped and well prepared to handle the task at hand. Take a second to acknowledge my family. Thank you to all of you who are here today. As many of you know, I'm a family person, and my family, who has made the trip up here, especially with my two children, LJ and Spencer, many of you know being a coach's child is not easy. My kids roll up their sleeves, and they have two parents in coaching, so they get it on both ends. When I was about their age, I knew that people actually got paid to coach basketball. I knew in the fourth grade I wanted to be a basketball coach. I count it a privilege to be able to have my passion be my career. Everybody does not have that opportunity so I don't take that lightly, and I'm very excited to be able to do what I love and love what I do. It was around their age, too, when you think about women's basketball, and to be the young girl who grows up and has a dream to make that varsity team, and then have a dream of playing in college, and then have a dream to go on and have a career in basketball. Without all of the ladies in the WNBA and all the hard work that they do, across every team, day in and day out, year round, they commit themselves to being the best that they can be. We have the best basketball in the world and I count it a privilege to be able to lead such a great group of young ladies with the Chicago Sky."
"We'll dive right in and talk about this season, I'm very excited to have the opportunity to coach this great group. The foundation is there and the franchise has done a fabulous job, as I mentioned, in the offices doing the work that nobody sees. And the product that you see on the court with our athletes is top notch, top level basketball. We have great players who are also great women. Fabulous role models on and off the court. A lot of you are familiar with your local, homegrown superstar in Cappie Pondexter and what an awesome role model she is. I look forward to being able to coach her and help her, along with the other ladies, build their legacy. Take their game to another level, and bring a championship for women's basketball to the great city of Chicago. I'm excited about the team also, in addition to the young ladies who compete every day, but it's such a great foundation already with the roster and the style of play. The foundation has already been laid. I'm excited to build upon the momentum that this team has gained, especially in the great run in the playoffs. We all know that the work doesn't come easy. It takes a lot of effort from training camp to the beginning of the season, then you start to hit the heat of the season and the games come rapid fire. Around the All-Star Break you have a chance to regroup and make a push to go deep into the playoffs and make it to the Finals and compete for a championship. What this group has is the experience. They've been through that, they have that veteran leadership. Tamera Young, being the most senior athlete on our squad, the most tenured player with the Sky. We have veteran leadership in Courtney Vandersloot. We have quality minutes logged by Elena Delle Donne. We have quality minutes logged by Jessica Breland. The depth of leadership is there. We have Allie Quigley, the DePaul graduate who has twice earned Sixth Woman of the Year. Across the board, across the roster this is a great group. Who wouldn't be excited to coach this great group of young ladies? Then you look at the young faces. The talent is there. The rookie last year, Imani Boyette, showed fabulous promise. You could really see her upside. She's going to be a fun lady to coach and watch her develop and grow into the dominant player that's in her blood. Those are the things that really excite me and ignite my passion to be here. Then, of course, the fans. Our Skyriders are the best. We are amongst the best in the WNBA in attendance, and that's going to be important. We need even more of you to come out and support. It's going to be a fun atmosphere and a great environment. Skyriders, I thank you for all that you do and continuing to be there game after game. This year is going to prove very interesting and exciting as we mix some things up. We all know that we have to make a concerted effort to defend better on the inside, and we're going to do just that. I've been able to be on the phone with all of our women and they all would agree that they're all committed to stopping points in the paint. With that said, it's not that points in the paint was an Achilles heel for our team. When you look statistically, points in the paint, second chance points, fast break points, and bench points, over the course of the regular season we outscored our opponents in all of those categories. That is something I want to continue to do and continue to make a benchmark standard for our success. So, I'm excited to be here. I'm excited to get on the court and get going, and roll up our sleeves and roll out the balls and play basketball."
(On being a first time Head Coach and General Manager...)
"We can speak to what I learned with the Los Angeles Sparks. Penny Toler did a fabulous job of having an open-door policy. I was able to sit with her on several occasions and ask questions that many assistants aren't privy to having that type of access with the general manager and being able to be privy to the process on how she came to make some of the decisions that she made. The other unique angle here is that Brian Agler and Penny Toler have a very open relationship in regard to, there's a lot of unity in how they work together. So being an assistant in that environment and situation allowed me to see how the groceries are bought, how they shop for which particular groceries, and then be able to make the right purchases at the checkout line.
(On improving defensively...)
"Many of you in the basketball community are familiar with my great defense. So, I'd like to think I could still get out there and demonstrate defensively like I could 20 years ago, but I can't. But what I hope that becomes contagious is the intensity. Not just defensively, but offensively. Defense can create offense. Good defense, especially if you can force turnovers at the top of the key and force live ball turnovers, you can create a lot of good offensive opportunities that way. The same defensive mentality that you can have on jumping, ball screens, and having various defensive schemes, that same aggressive defensive mentality should come to play offensively, as well. When you're really in tune defensively, the game slows down and the court opens up. You're able to see things, and see lanes and gaps. If you're playing at a higher pace, that doesn't always reveal itself."
(On the team's identity...)
"Until we get together as a unit, I can sit up here and say 'this is going to be our identity', but those would just be words. We have to collectively come together to find our own identity and voice. It can't be what I want, it has to be what's best for us all together. The entire unit, staff, support staff, and players all working together. As far as on the court, specifically, one of our identities or focal points is going to be stopping points in the paint. Stopping the easy baskets. We've got great length, we can use that length not only at the center position but around the board to really disrupt some things. The other thing that we have, that not many teams in this league have, we have phenomenal guard defenders. We have some of the best guard defenders in this league. We can really pick up and extend our pressure full court and really wreak havoc and allow fewer touches in the paint."
(On how coaching Candace Parker can help with coaching Elena Delle Donne...)
"Candace Parker is a phenomenal talent, and she works hard around the clock. One thing that anybody will attest to, no matter what sport or level it is, to win a championship, your best players have to be your hardest workers. That is something that is true regardless of what jersey name is on the front or the back. When you have players who are willing to put in that extra time and effort and compete each drill and possession, special things can happen."
(On what she's looking at from the young frontcourt...)
"One thing that we have, our frontcourt has a very unique balance of fresh legs but veteran minds. That's a special point that any coach would love to have. With our fresh legs, yet veteran minds and mentality and approach to the game, we can be smart and strategic and sneaky every now and then."
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Women's National Basketball Association Stories from December 13, 2016
- Chicago Sky Press Conference Quotes - Chicago Sky
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