The Chicago Sky 2011 were built around Sylvia Fowles, whose interior scoring, elite rebounding, and rim protection made her the team’s foundation. Epiphanny Prince led the backcourt with perimeter scoring, while Courtney Vandersloot emerged as the primary playmaker and Jia Perkins added another reliable scoring option. The Sky relied on strong interior play and defensive presence, but inconsistent outside shooting and overall offensive efficiency limited their success.
Chicago revolved around Fowles on both ends of the floor, feeding her early in possessions and relying on her to erase defensive mistakes around the rim. National coverage regularly described her as one of the league’s most imposing interior players, and opponents frequently collapsed extra defenders into the paint without consistently slowing her production. (Wikipedia)
WNBA All-Star (2011); All-WNBA First Team (2011); WNBA All-Defensive First Team (2011); Defensive Player of the Year (2011); MVP Voting – 2nd (2011)
Epiphanny Prince
Starter/Star [1.1]
29.4
High [1.2]
13.6
2.1
3.0
2.7
56.02
Prince handled the toughest perimeter creation duties, alternating between lead guard and scoring guard depending on the matchup. Her ability to manufacture offense off the dribble gave Chicago a reliable late-clock option, while her active hands on defense generated momentum-changing steals throughout the season. (Wikipedia)
None
Michelle Snow
Starter/Star [1.1]
24.1
Medium [1.1]
5.9
6.3
1.9
1.8
38.24
Snow embraced a complementary frontcourt role beside Fowles, using her length to contest shots and rebound while rarely demanding touches. Game reports often highlighted the effectiveness of Chicago’s twin-tower look whenever both centers controlled the paint together. (NBA)
None
Courtney Vandersloot
Key Contributor [1.05]
22.9
Medium [1.1]
6.5
2.0
3.7
1.1
30.72
As a rookie point guard, Vandersloot focused on organizing the offense rather than chasing her own scoring. Coaches remained patient through the adjustment period because her vision and willingness to deliver entry passes fit naturally alongside Chicago’s dominant interior attack. (Wikipedia)
WNBA All-Rookie Team (2011)
Tamera Young
Key Contributor [1.05]
24.0
Medium [1.1]
7.9
3.8
1.3
1.4
33.14
Young’s assignment usually started with defending the opponent’s best wing scorer before looking for transition opportunities on offense. Her athleticism and versatility allowed Pokey Chatman to shuffle defensive matchups without disrupting the overall rotation.
None
Shay Murphy
Key Contributor [1.05]
20.5
Low [1.0]
9.8
4.8
1.1
1.7
36.54
Murphy made an immediate impact in limited appearances by attacking the basket aggressively instead of settling for perimeter shots. Although her season was shortened, she consistently brought energy and secondary scoring whenever Chicago needed a spark from the bench.
None
Cathrine Kraayeveld
Key Contributor [1.05]
20.6
Low [1.0]
5.9
2.6
1.2
0.8
22.05
Kraayeveld stretched opposing defenses with reliable perimeter shooting, giving Fowles additional room to operate inside. Her spacing role was more valuable than raw scoring totals suggested, particularly in half-court sets built around post entries.
None
Erin Thorn
Key Contributor [1.05]
16.8
Low [1.0]
5.4
1.7
2.4
0.4
20.79
Thorn quietly anchored reserve backcourt groups with accurate outside shooting and smart decision-making. Rather than forcing difficult looks, she consistently kept the offense flowing and punished defenses that overcommitted to Chicago’s interior stars.
None
Dominique Canty
Bench [1.0]
15.0
Low [1.0]
4.1
1.2
2.0
0.6
15.80
Canty’s minutes declined, but she continued to provide veteran composure whenever the second unit needed direction. Independent coverage of her final season largely emphasized leadership and stability instead of statistical production.
None
Carolyn Swords
Bench [1.0]
7.5
Low [1.0]
2.7
1.8
0.3
0.4
10.40
Swords served as developmental frontcourt depth behind an experienced center rotation. Contemporary reporting on her individual season was limited, with most discussion focused on her long-term potential rather than nightly contributions.
None
Lindsay Wisdom-Hylton
Bench [1.0]
8.1
Low [1.0]
1.7
1.9
0.6
0.9
10.20
Wisdom-Hylton filled a defense-first reserve role, using her activity around the basket to provide rebounding and occasional rim protection. Independent season-specific coverage remained limited outside standard game reports.
None
Angie Bjorklund
Bench [1.0]
6.1
Low [1.0]
1.1
0.3
0.3
0.1
3.60
The rookie guard saw only brief opportunities while adjusting to the professional level. Independent reporting specific to her season was scarce, with available coverage focusing mainly on roster depth and player development.
None
TEAM TOTALS
—
246.6
—
93.9
39.0
19.0
14.7
367.00
Chicago finished 14–20 and narrowly missed the playoffs again, but Sylvia Fowles established herself as one of the WNBA’s elite two-way superstars while Courtney Vandersloot and Epiphanny Prince strengthened the franchise’s long-term backcourt foundation.
Defensive Player of the Year (2011): Sylvia Fowles; WNBA All-Star (2011): Sylvia Fowles; All-WNBA First Team (2011): Sylvia Fowles; WNBA All-Defensive First Team (2011): Sylvia Fowles; WNBA All-Rookie Team (2011): Courtney Vandersloot
