Sky Open Season on Road against Portland, First-Ever Matchup Between Teams
WNBA Chicago Sky

Sky Open Season on Road against Portland, First-Ever Matchup Between Teams

Published on May 7, 2026 under Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Chicago Sky News Release


The Chicago Sky open the 2026 season on the road against the expansion Portland Fire at 6 p.m. PT/8 p.m. CT. The game will be available locally on the Sky's exclusive broadcasting partner, The U, and is available on NBA TV.

The Sky feature a new-look roster that features a team with these collective accolades:

Four-time WNBA Champions (Cloud, Stevens, Vandersloot 2x)

11-time All-WNBA (Diggins 6x, Vandersloot 5x)

12-time All-Stars (Diggins 7x, Vandersloot 5x)

Two Most Improved Players (Carrington, Diggins)

Four All-Defensive Team selections (Carrington, Cloud 3x)

Five All-Rookie selections (Cardoso, Diggins, Jackson, Stevens, Vandersloot)

Eight assist champions (Cloud, Vandersloot 7x)

In the Sky's two preseason games, the team's offense looked strong. In the opener against Phoenix in South Dakota, the Sky raced out to 104 points while shooting a 51/38/79 line. In the second game, the Sky connected on 8 of 21 three-pointers (38.1%).

After reshaping the roster, the Sky have a deep lineup, even with the number of injuries the team is dealing with right now. In the preseason, Chicago started Skylar Diggins, Jacy Sheldon, Rickea Jackson and Kamilla Cardoso alongside development player Aicha Coulibaly.

That was with all of Elizabeth Williams, Courtney Vandersloot, Maddy Westbeld, Azurá Stevens and DiJonai Carrington missing at least one preseason game and Natasha Cloud not yet signed. Those players have a collective four WNBA championships and 55.9 combined 2025 points per game between them.

Look for Chicago to continue its rhythm and increase three-point output in the opener against Portland. The Sky's new guards and Banham (four players) shot a combined 36.6% from three on 17.4 combined attempts. Add in Gabriela Jaquez (39.0% from three on 3.2 attempts in senior season) and Sydney Taylor (33.3% on nine attempts in preseason) and you have a team that could get hot from deep early on.

Cloud and Diggins provide on-ball reps that will help the Sky's shooters remain off the ball. Banham showcased what she can do in an off-ball role compared to 2025 in the preseason opener, going 3 for 3 in quick succession in the second quarter of that game. Banham is elite off screens and has a quick trigger that can help the Sky get out early.

There are a number of storylines to watch for the Sky as the season gets going. One that Sky fans will want to closely watch out for is how the presence of decorated and all-time veterans like Diggins can help the Sky's young players reach new heights. Look for Jackson, Cardoso and Sheldon to improve on impressive young careers.

Like all expansion teams, Portland is a relatively unknown commodity. Like the Sky, they played two preseason games. They saw a balanced scoring effort in their first outing, with Luisa Geiselsöder leading the team with 15 points, Sarah Ashlee Barker adding 14 and Carla Leite notching 12.

In the second game, rookies Nyadiew Puoch and Serah Williams each added 12, while Leite tallied 11 points.

Starting with Leite, she began her career last year with another expansion team, Golden State, and made a case for an All-Rookie nod. She averaged 7.2 points and 2.0 assists and helped the Valkyries make the playoffs in their first season. She'll look to double down on those efforts beginning with the matchup against the Sky.

The Fire employ a trio of players who helped Washington remain a feisty young team over the last two years in Emily Engstler, Karlie Samuelson and Sug Sutton. Engstler is a 6-1 forward who is a year removed from shooting 47.4% from three while Samuelson is also a year removed from connecting on 39.8% of her threes and starting in 19 games. Sutton has an elite on-ball presence that will help Portland force turnovers.

2025 first-round pick Barker showed what she can do in the preseason opener, and demonstrated that she is a true three-level scorer in college. After a year learning from the likes of Kelsey Plum and Jackson herself, she'll be a player to potentially watch out for.

The Fire also drafted Bridget Carleton, who boasts elite defensive numbers and is a career 39.1% shooter from deep.

These are two teams with something to prove on Saturday, leading to what will be an entertaining first game for the Sky and Fire inside Moda Center.

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