Last Updated on September 2, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

The Chicago Sky 2009 were led by Sylvia Fowles, whose interior scoring, elite rebounding, and rim protection established the team’s identity. Jia Perkins provided the primary perimeter scoring, while Candice Dupree added efficient frontcourt offense and Dominique Canty directed the attack as the main playmaker. The Sky relied on strong inside play and rebounding, but inconsistent perimeter shooting and offensive balance limited their overall effectiveness.

Roster

NO. PLAYER POS HT WT DOB COLLEGE
1 Tamera Young F 6-2 175 October 30, 1986 James Madison University
3 Dominique Canty G 5-9 166 March 2, 1977 Alabama
4 Candice Dupree F 6-2 178 August 16, 1984 Temple
5 Erin Thorn G 5-9 145 May 19, 1981 BYU
7 Kristi Toliver G 5-7 130 January 27, 1987 Maryland
8 Mistie Bass F 6-3 189 December 2, 1983 Duke
11 Jia Perkins G 5-8 165 February 23, 1982 Texas Tech
15 Chen Nan C 6-6 180 January 6, 1983
21 Brooke Wyckoff F 6-1 183 March 30, 1980 Florida State
22 Armintie Herrington G 5-9 132 April 3, 1985 Ole Miss
32 K.B. Sharp G 5-9 149 April 18, 1981 Cincinnati
34 Sylvia Fowles C 6-6 219 October 6, 1985 LSU
43 Shyra Ely-Gash F 6-2 182 August 9, 1983 Tennessee
44 Katie Mattera C 6-8 240 November 17, 1982 Liberty

Per Game

Player Pos Age GP GS MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TOV FGA FGM FG% 3PA 3PM 3P% FTA FTM FT%
Candice Dupree F 24 34 34 34.9 15.7 7.9 2.2 1.0 1.2 2.4 14.0 6.0 .429 1.8 0.7 .387 3.8 3.0 .785
Jia Perkins G 27 34 34 27.4 13.2 3.4 2.9 2.1 0.2 1.6 11.1 4.6 .417 2.3 0.9 .385 3.6 3.1 .846
Sylvia Fowles C 23 24 20 28.8 11.3 7.8 0.8 0.9 1.5 3.2 7.2 4.3 .599 0.0 0.0   4.1 2.7 .646
Dominique Canty G 32 34 34 22.8 6.9 1.9 3.2 0.8 0.1 1.7 5.7 2.2 .381 0.3 0.1 .364 3.5 2.4 .689
Shyra Ely-Gash F 25 34 9 14.6 6.8 2.6 0.6 0.4 0.2 1.1 5.9 2.5 .418 1.8 0.7 .383 1.5 1.2 .804
Erin Thorn G 28 34 0 17.0 6.2 1.6 1.6 0.6 0.0 0.9 5.0 2.1 .424 2.7 1.1 .402 1.0 0.9 .909
Kristi Toliver G 22 27 0 14.3 7.6 1.4 1.9 0.4 0.1 1.6 5.9 2.7 .453 3.3 1.5 .444 0.9 0.8 .913
Chen Nan F 26 26 5 12.3 3.7 2.1 0.2 0.3 0.3 1.1 3.7 1.8 .484 0.0 0.0   0.3 0.2 .625
Brooke Wyckoff F 29 27 23 19.7 3.1 2.7 1.4 0.4 0.7 1.1 2.7 1.0 .378 1.9 0.7 .392 0.3 0.3 .875
Armintie Herrington F 24 22 0 14.7 3.5 2.7 1.2 0.5 0.0 0.8 3.2 1.2 .386 0.0 0.0   1.8 1.0 .575
K.B. Sharp G 28 27 0 12.0 2.6 0.7 0.9 0.3 0.1 0.9 2.1 0.9 .404 0.6 0.2 .353 0.7 0.7 .947
Tamera Young F 22 10 6 12.9 5.0 3.0 0.7 0.7 0.4 1.1 4.6 1.6 .348 0.8 0.2 .250 1.8 1.6 .889
Mistie Bass F 25 8 5 15.8 6.1 3.4 0.4 0.6 0.4 0.5 4.9 2.5 .513 0.3 0.0 .000 2.0 1.1 .563
Katie Mattera F 26 2 0 11.5 5.5 3.0 0.0 0.0 0.5 3.0 2.0 1.5 .750 0.0 0.0   3.0 2.5 .833

HeatingUp Impact Index: Team Impact Spotlight

PLAYER NAME ROLE TIER MPG USAGE TIER PPG RPG APG STK IMPACT INDEX NOTES AWARDS
Candice Dupree Starter/Star [1.1] 34.9 High [1.2] 15.7 7.9 2.2 2.2 73.39 Chicago’s offense still flowed through Dupree’s patient post game, but she also expanded her range enough to keep defenders honest from mid-range and beyond the arc. Season coverage regularly described her as the calming influence on a young roster that stayed in the playoff race until the final week. (Chicago Sky) WNBA All-Star (2009)
Sylvia Fowles Starter/Star [1.1] 28.8 High [1.2] 11.3 7.8 0.8 2.4 58.08 Fowles gave the Sky a true defensive backbone, discouraging drives simply through her presence around the rim. Even after missing time with injury, opponents consistently adjusted their shot selection when she was on the floor, and coaches leaned on her rebounding to finish defensive possessions. (Chicago Sky) WNBA All-Star (2009)
Jia Perkins Starter/Star [1.1] 27.4 High [1.2] 13.2 3.4 2.9 2.3 57.02 Perkins thrived as Chicago’s attacking perimeter scorer, mixing transition baskets with confident pull-up shooting. One of her signature performances came in the overtime win at Atlanta, where her aggressive scoring and playmaking helped fuel a 99-point team effort. (Chicago Sky) WNBA All-Star (2009)
Dominique Canty Starter/Star [1.1] 22.8 Medium [1.1] 6.9 1.9 3.2 0.9 31.94 Canty embraced the role of organizer rather than volume scorer, keeping Chicago’s guards in rhythm and directing half-court possessions. Her veteran decision-making remained valuable on a roster built around younger stars developing into featured options. (Chicago Sky) None
Chasity Melvin Key Contributor [1.05] 22.3 Medium [1.1] 8.2 5.1 1.5 1.2 36.50 Melvin accepted the difficult interior assignments that allowed Dupree and Fowles to operate more freely. Her physical screens and willingness to battle established post players rarely generated headlines, but they were an important part of Chicago’s frontcourt rotation. (Chicago Sky) None
Kristi Toliver Key Contributor [1.05] 14.3 Medium [1.1] 7.6 1.4 1.9 0.5 26.57 Toliver brought instant offense off the bench, stretching defenses with deep shooting while gradually adapting to the pace of the professional game. Coaches increasingly trusted her to inject scoring punch into second-unit lineups. (Basketball Reference) WNBA All-Rookie Team (2009)
Erin Thorn Key Contributor [1.05] 17.0 Low [1.0] 6.2 1.6 1.6 0.6 20.16 Thorn’s value came from dependable perimeter spacing and disciplined decision-making rather than high usage. She consistently filled complementary minutes alongside Chicago’s primary scorers and gave the second unit another reliable outside threat. None
Armintie Herrington Key Contributor [1.05] 14.7 Low [1.0] 3.5 2.7 1.2 0.5 16.59 Returning from injury, Herrington focused on defense, transition play and energy instead of carrying an offensive workload. Her ability to pressure opposing guards helped maintain Chicago’s defensive intensity whenever she entered the game. None
Shyra Ely-Gash Key Contributor [1.05] 14.6 Low [1.0] 6.8 2.6 0.6 0.6 22.05 Ely-Gash filled multiple wing roles throughout the season, providing scoring depth without disrupting the offensive flow. Her versatility allowed the coaching staff to experiment with several small and athletic lineups during the playoff chase. None
Mistie Bass Bench [1.0] 15.8 Low [1.0] 6.1 3.4 0.4 1.0 21.80 Bass made the most of limited appearances by finishing efficiently around the basket and bringing physicality off the bench. Independent season-specific reporting was limited because injuries restricted her opportunities. None
Katie Mattera Bench [1.0] 11.5 Low [1.0] 5.5 3.0 0.0 0.5 18.00 Mattera appeared only briefly but supplied size and interior depth when called upon. Contemporary independent coverage focused mainly on roster transactions rather than her individual performances. None
Brooke Wyckoff Key Contributor [1.05] 19.7 Low [1.0] 3.1 2.7 1.4 1.1 17.43 Wyckoff quietly handled the connective work between Chicago’s stars, defending multiple positions and keeping the ball moving. Her willingness to embrace low-usage responsibilities helped balance several of the team’s most-used lineups. None
Chen Nan Bench [1.0] 12.3 Low [1.0] 3.7 2.1 0.2 0.6 13.20 Chen provided skilled frontcourt depth with efficient finishing in short stretches. Independent reporting on her individual season remained limited, with most discussion centered on her adjustment to the WNBA schedule and rotation. None
K.B. Sharp Bench [1.0] 12.0 Low [1.0] 2.6 0.7 0.9 0.4 9.20 Sharp served as a reserve guard whose priorities were ball movement and perimeter spacing rather than shot creation. Contemporary player-specific reporting was limited outside routine game coverage. None
Tamera Young Bench [1.0] 12.9 Low [1.0] 5.0 3.0 0.7 1.1 19.60 Young flashed the athletic defense and slashing ability that scouts expected, though her offensive role remained modest as she adjusted to the league. Independent coverage frequently highlighted her long-term upside more than immediate production. None
TEAM TOTALS 279.1 110.9 44.6 19.9 15.5 441.53 Chicago posted its best record in franchise history to that point, stayed in the playoff race until the final days of the regular season, and built around the All-Star trio of Candice Dupree, Sylvia Fowles and Jia Perkins. WNBA All-Star (2009): Candice Dupree, Sylvia Fowles, Jia Perkins; WNBA All-Rookie Team (2009): Kristi Toliver