Michaela

Onyenwere

Banham recorded a season and career high in assists in her final game of the 2025 season. Banham, a natural shooting guard, saw extended minutes for the Sky at the one especially following Courtney Vandersloot’s season-ending ACL injury. She accounted for 10 of the Sky’s 25 assists on Thursday night and had her most assists in the second quarter when she registered five. Banham found five different teammates including her most consistent target Kamilla Cardoso, who scored 10 of her points off Banham assists, in addition to shots for Rebecca Allen, Kia Nurse, Michaela Onyenwere and Maddy Westbeld.

Westbeld had a career night to cap off her rookie season. She scored not only the most points she has in the WNBA but she made the most three-pointers as a pro with five and registered the most assists she has had in a game all season with three. Westbeld was taking her open shots confidently, hitting over the outstretched and often late closeouts of multiple Liberty defenders. She found Kia Nurse for a transition three-pointer and Michaela Onyenwere and Kamilla Cardoso on high-low dump down passes. Westbeld tied her season high in rebounds with seven, a number she last reached on July 16 against the Dream.

In what has largely been an underwhelming season for Onyenwere, her production has improved down the stretch. She’s reached double figures in three straight and four of her last five games, Onyenwere’s most productive run this season. Over the last three, she’s shot 13-of-23 from the field and averaged 14.3 points. Onyenwere is one of seven Sky players who will be unrestricted free agents this offseason, so a solid finish to the 2025 campaign may pay dividends in free agency.

Williams recorded her fourth double-double of the season on Friday night. She scored the ball efficiently coming off high-low passes from teammate Kamilla Cardoso in addition to two assists coming from Rebecca Allen finding Williams cutting off the ball. Williams rebounded the ball well especially when Cardoso wasn’t in great position to do so and had Fever players trying to box her out. Williams also facilitated at a high level on Friday night. She found Michaela Onyenwere for two different layups where the Fever were mismatched guarding the Sky wing. Williams also had two more assists in the fourth quarter to Ariel Atkins and rookie Maddy Westbeld for two jump shots that Williams helped created on handoffs and screens.

Cardoso had dominant stretches scoring the basketball especially with Angel Reese out, who was serving a one game suspension from the league after picking up her eighth technical. Cardoso accounted for eight of the Sky’s 15 points in the first quarter and then scored half of the Sky’s 19 points in the third. She scored while being guarded by her former South Carolina teammate Aliyah Boston in addition to finding ideal positioning while Damiris Dantas was on the floor in Boston’s place. Cardoso facilitated the ball at a high level on Friday night and she found her front court partners Elizabeth Williams and Michaela Onyenwere for a total of five assists. She hit Williams on two high-low actions and found Onyenwere well spaced moving off the ball.

Onyenwere took advantage of her size at the small forward position. Earlier on she was guarded by the Fever’s less defensively proficient backcourt in Kelsey Mitchell and Odyssey Sims, but later was defended by Aerial Powers and Lexie Hull where she used her superior strength to post up on them to get to the basket and score. Onyenwere reached the line four times and put a lot of pressure on the rim. While there has been a lot of chatter about the future of the Sky and who should or shouldn’t be on future rosters, Onyenwere has made a case as a competent versatile role player who has a unique mix of speed and strength on the offensive end.

After coming off the bench for Chicago’s last two games, Onyenwere returned to the starting lineup on Tuesday. Unfortunately, she could not offer much value, missing all four of her shot attempts and playing 20 minutes. Sevgi Uzun, who moved to the bench, played 25 minutes off the bench against the Storm, finishing with seven points, one rebound, four assists, one steal and one three-pointer. Even if Onyenwere were to remain a starter moving forward, there is not much upside in fantasy basketball.

Playing in a game for the first time since July 29, Reese will be in the starting lineup on Tuesday. However, Sky head coach Tyler Marsh said during his pregame availability that the second-year forward’s minutes will be restricted, so Elizabeth Williams won’t lack opportunities off the bench. The other change is Onyenwere, who moves into the starting lineup with Sevgi Uzun dropping to the bench.

All but one of Banham’s made field goals came on assists from forwards or centers. Elizabeth Williams, Kamilla Cardoso and Michaela Onyenwere all found Banham for open shots via an extra pass or on a dribble handoff. In each of Banham’s last four games including Friday night, she’s not only hit double-digit scoring but she’s also hit three three-pointers. Also, in two straight games Banham has had exactly two assists and five rebounds. Her two assists were on a drive-and-kick to Sevgi Uzun and then to Ariel Atkins who had an open driving lane to the paint.

The Sky have made a change to the lineup that began Saturday’s loss to the Fever, with Uzun replacing Michaela Onyenwere. Uzun, who made her Sky debut on July 29, will make her first start in a Chicago uniform. Onyenwere’s fantasy prospects take a hit with the move to the bench, but she was not the most reliable asset when allowed to start. Also of note is that Atkins is available after initially being listed as probable for Wednesday’s game.