Chicago Sports

LOS ANGELES – Cubs manager David Ross knew outfielder Ian Happ would be on guard when he called a pregame meeting Sunday morning. So, he started it with a decoy: All-Star break schedule and travel details.

Only after getting the nuts and bolts out of the way did Ross deliver the news that Happ had earned his first All-Star selection.

“He just put his head in his hands, got super emotional,” Ross said. “And all his teammates started clapping really loud, and lots of hugs. … That’s a guy that puts a lot of pressure on himself, believes in himself, and to see that pay off – I’m super happy for him.”

Major League Baseball announced All-Star pitchers and reserves, including Happ, on Sunday. While starters are named through a fan vote, pitchers and reserves are chosen through player ballots and commissioner’s office selections.

The Cubs are set to send two players, Happ and NL All-Star starting catcher Willson Contreras, to Los Angeles for the All-Star Game next week. Head athletic trainer P.J. Mainville was also one of two trainers selected to work with the NL squad.

Contreras has been lobbying for Happ’s All-Star campaign for weeks.

“The work he’s done this year is impressive,” Contreras said over a week ago, pointing to Happ’s breakout stats. “And I 100% know that he deserves to be there with me.”

Entering play Sunday, Happ ranked third among NL outfielders in on-base percentage (.372) and in the top 5 in batting average (.277) and wins above replacement (2.2), according to FanGraphs.

“Happer has been as consistent of a player as I’ve ever seen him be,” Ross said. “And the fact that he gets rewarded for that, being an All-Star, he’s deserving of that. I think he’s upped his game — not just offensive numbers, but his defense, his base running, his all-around game has been stellar. And I’m so happy for him.”

Happ, playing left field on an everyday basis, has a collection of diving and sliding highlights already this season.

Happ himself is skeptical of many defensive statistics, and defensive WAR in particular – “There’s little things that go into a game, or playing defense, that are hard to evaluate.” But Happ’s defensive WAR has jumped from last season to this (-8.4 to -2.6) by FanGraphs’ measurement, supporting the eye test.

On offense, the switch hitter has been doing damage on both sides of the plate, entering Sunday slashing .255/.359/.424 against right-handed pitchers and .353/.421/.529 against lefties.

”I think some of the ball flights for me are things that I haven’t done in a while,” Happ told the Sun-Times last month of his right-handed swing. ”So some of that opposite-field stuff is coming back. There’s definitely some things that I haven’t felt in a while that start to become more familiar, which is nice. But I never had a doubt that I could do it, if given the opportunity.”

Happ had one request of Ross after the manager announced Contreras’ All-Star selection on Friday in front of the whole team.

“He told me … that if he happens to make the team,” Ross recalled, “don’t tell him in front of everybody because he’s going to cry like a baby.

“So, I couldn’t wait to give the news in front of everybody.”

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After moving on from Alex DeBrincat and Kirby Dach, which Blackhawks player is next?

The Chicago Blackhawks have come in hot to the offseason. They pulled off three major trades on Day 1 of the 2022 NHL Draft which made it even more clear the direction they are headed in. The rebuild is in full effect, and it will be a tough few years, but the future already looks bright.

First, let’s look at the three trades the Blackhawks did pull off already this offseason. It started by sending 24-year-old Alex DeBrincat to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for the 2022 seventh overall pick, 2022 39th overall pick, and a 2024 third round pick. Then the Blackhawks traded away 21-year-old Kirby Dach and got back the 2022 13th overall pick and 2022 66th overall pick from the Montreal Canadiens. The final deal made was later in the first round when the Blackhawks took on the contract of Petr Mrazek from the Toronto Maple Leafs and moved up 13 spots in the draft to pick for the third time in the first round. Also remember the Blackhawks dealt Brandon Hagel to the Tampa Bay Lightning at the trade deadline for a great return, but he too is very young (23 years old).

There may be criticism on what the Blackhawks acquired for DeBrincat or why they gave up on Dach so early into his career, but overall, they started to really tear things down and dive into a full rebuild that will last a few years at the basement of the league.

Let’s get into the thick of things. The Blackhawks are not done making moves and trades, and with money going out, they will also have to bring money in. The Arizona Coyotes are a perfect example of how a rebuilding team can collect players on bad contracts that other teams want to get rid of in exchange for draft picks and/or prospects. This is how the Blackhawks will be able to stay above the cap floor even though they are paying a good sum of money to a few players.

4 More Blackhawks of Interest

There are now four remaining players that stand out as logical trade candidates for the Blackhawks. The first is Patrick Kane who has one year left on his $10.5 million deal. The next two younger players’ names have been in the rumor mill for some time, as they are both restricted free agents and have offensive potential. They would be Dylan Strome and Dominik Kubalik. The last and least likely of the bunch to be traded is Jonathan Toews. He would garner interest from teams, but the Blackhawks would have to eat a large sum of his contract for his final year.

According to Craig Button of TSN, he said, “You think he’s hanging around, not a chance” hen asked about Kane and the fallout of the DeBrincat trade. Regardless of if he’s won three Stanley Cups, he is in control of where he ends up, and almost any team will be a better choice for the final season of his deal. If the Blackhawks have to retain salary, it is well worth it to get something back for him before they inevitably lose him in free agency in 2023.

Strome has garnered interest from a number of teams and Kubalik’s goal-scoring ability should have him on teams’ radars despite a down year. So to the question of who will be the next Blackhawks player traded. My answer is Kane, then Strome, followed by Kubalik.

Buckle up Blackhawks fans, it could be a long Summer in the Windy City.

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Did the Chicago Blackhawks get better with the 2022 NHL draft picks?

The 2022 NHL Draft Selection for the Chicago Blackhawks has come and gone, with many trades, which has shaped up the Blackhawks future and has had Chicago fans buzzing all over the internet in regard to the big moves.

In an effort to maintain the Blackhawks credibility towards being a fierce competitor in the league, the general manager ensured the team started off the right way and received the best quality list of prospects available upon doing so, even if it meant offloading well-rounded talent such as Alex Debrincat, who simply was not meant to be in the plans for the rebuild of the Blackhawks.

Even Kirby Dach was sent-away via trade to Montreal for a first round 13th pick and third round 66th pick.

Why both could not fit into the plans for the team simply stood as the general manger had two commodities that had fetched excellent returns for the team with an opportunity to look for a new dynasty like team to come fourth in the coming season or next.

With a salary cap hit of just over $20 million USD, and recent news breaking of defenseman Duncan Keith retiring and the Blackhawks team retaining just over $5.5 million USD, of his contract this upcoming 2022/2023 season.

It takes away from somewhat of a less fortunate situation, where the team could of used that money for a veteran piece and steady goaltender, but now deal with a rather go with one and take a steal type of option player here for the say.

How will the 2022 NHL Draft Picks affect the line-up for Chicago Blackhawks?

After observing the choices and the various options the team had chosen to go with, it is evident that they were building for more of an offensive-defensive team, with no limit to the expense of signing a star-goaltender worth a long-term hefty contract leaving the cap space open. Unless one of the draft picks is utilized come the 2022 Free Agency and there is by-chance a sign and trade option in that manner for the Blackhawks for another depth position piece, in my opinion perhaps an all-star goaltender caliber player.

To be more of a defensive team, two first round picks were focused on a defensive player, with great length, with modest size and weight. But good agility that would keep the team competitive during high stake games with the pressure on Chicago at times, and help bolster the defense overall.

The Blackhawks also set the tone for winger and centers that will develop well under the coaching staff and give that edge and relief to the great power forwards in Toews and Kane, but also manage to play well with forwards such as Dylan Strome, and Andrew Shaw.

Any Goalie Suggestions?

Their are a list of goaltenders entering the free agency, the three most notable being: Darcy Kuemper, Thomas Greiss, and Martin Jones.

Kuemper coming off a Stanley Cup championship run will be a free agent, his attributes are just peaking at their finest and the most important factor to look at is he will be a force to be reckoned with if he could play the way he did in the playoffs with a defensive-minded Colorado Avalanche team.

Greiss did his best to help Detroit as the team did pick up slack at some parts of the season with his veteran experience, and could perhaps be the temporary fix for the goalie woes, after the team had acquired goalie Peter Mrazek from the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Jones is unlike both goalies above. He is younger in age at 32, is due for somewhat of a pay raise that maybe benefit Chicago’s long-term solution and give the team that added slack to work with, that may give them the edge to be more of a well-balanced to well-rounded team. Jones kept his previous team in battles during the previous season and it had shifted the focus to many general managers attention.

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Chicago Bears GM Ryan Poles was handed very few picks in the draft

Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles was not in an enviable position this April. The Bears had only six picks heading into the draft. None of those six picks were in the first round. The roster Poles inherited was severely depleted after years of mismanagement by former general manager Ryan Pace.

Poles took some lumps on the front end. Instead of drafting higher caliber projected players in the third round, the Bears traded away some of their picks to get more selections in the 5th, 6th, and 7th rounds. Poles looked to add depth to the roster as the Chicago Bears rebuild.

After a mostly pedestrian free agency offseason from Poles (although not exactly boring if you remember his failure to acquire Ryan Bates and the drama with Larry Ogunjobi), analysts looking at the Bears’ moves didn’t have much material to say what the team did well to prepare for this season.

One analyst wrote a piece highlighting the “best offseason move ” for each of the NFC teams. Poor Brad Spielberger, writing for Pro Football Focus, had to come up with the idea of the Chicago Bears’ best offseason move. It was moving back in the draft. Here’s what Spielberger wrote:

No singular move deserves acclaim as the best move this offseason for the Bears, but that’s exactly how a rebuild should be approached at the outset. Chicago is several pieces away from a competitive unit on both sides of the ball, and that’s why stockpiling extra draft capital on Day 3 was sharp as new general manager Ryan Poles looks to overhaul the roster. Chicago was without a first-round pick for the third draft out of the last four but found a way to add more talent at the tail end of the weekend.

Two of their Day 3 picks were used on FCS offensive linemen Braxton Jones out of Southern Utah and Ja’Tyre Carter from Southern University, both of whom ranked top-10 among FCS tackles in PFF wins-above-average for the 2021 season. Chicago’s patient approach and recognition of the fact that more dart throws on Day 3 improves your odds of finding a diamond in the rough could turn the team around sooner rather than later.

Did the Chicago Bears get better by drafting worse projections?

It’s disappointing that the Chicago Bears don’t have shiny new toys to watch this season on offense. The Bears’ free agency and draft have not convinced me the Bears are serious about aiding Justin Fields to be the franchise quarterback.

Adding more darts to the draft board is one kind of strategy. And it’s the kind of strategy that you’d employ if you have a lack of faith in the scouting department. Fair enough if you’re a new general manager. But rebuilding a team with a plethora of potential NFL scrubs isn’t going to help the joint.

Imagine if you were “fixing up” up a house, and you noticed the piping job was jacked. The whole house now needs to be replumbed and you must pay for the labor by the hour. Would you hire a plumber with skills, one who knows how to lay the pipe? Or would you hire a team of plumber apprentices, who have the size and weight of a future plumber, but don’t really know the hot side from the cool side to replumb?

Poles chose the latter to build his shack. The Bears have a roster full of players who will be learning on the fly in July and August. Was it a good move to trade down? Probably for Poles, because he didn’t what he was doing in this draft.

The Chicago Bears needed a capable general manager and scouting department to choose better players for the Bears. If this was the best move the Bears made in the offseason they’re in trouble.

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Could Carlik Jones make the Chicago Bulls roster?

One of the most interesting prospects on the Chicago Bulls’ summer league team with a legitimate chance of making the NBA roster is guard Carlik Jones.

Standing at an even six feet tall, Jones spent 2021 playing for the Texas Legends of the G-League after he was not selected in last year’s NBA Draft; during his time in the Lonestar State, he averaged 21.1 points (tied for 16th), 8.2 assists (third), and 4.6 rebounds in 35.9 minutes of action per night. He also shot a respectable 46.3% from the field, although he struggled beyond the arc, where he shot 31.6%. 

In addition, the Bulls’ newest prospect stole headlines with several highlight plays, none more exciting than this posterizing slam.

In Chicago’s lone summer league game thus far, a 100-99 win over the Dallas Mavericks, Jones put up a respectable six points, nine assists, and four rebounds in 27 minutes of action, also posting a game-high +18 in +/-.

An ascending talent

Despite his impressive numbers, Jones’ player profile is where the intrigue comes from, as he was rather unheralded in high school and at college but now seems ready to head to the league as a late bloomer.

Jones committed to Radford University as an unranked high school prospect, where he later made two first-team All-Big-South teams and won the 2020 Big South Player of the Year award. Shortly thereafter, he transferred to the University of Louisville, where he averaged 16.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 4.5 assists in his lone season. 

Clearly, he has made improvements to his passing game, as he was one of the most influential floor generals in the G-League last season. The Bulls’ squad already has enough pass-first guys with Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso, and with respect to the electric Ayo Dosunmu, they do not have a player that possesses his combination of slashing ability and playmaking. Dosunmu would be the closest facsimile, but his physical tools allow him to be more of a score-first guy.

A couple of failed stints for Carlik Jones

As much praise and adulation as Carlik Jones has received thus far, he has already been granted opportunities in the form of 10-day contracts with two big-league teams— the Denver Nuggets and Mavericks— and neither stuck. It is possible that a below-the-rim, six-foot player with little experience playing against top collegiate teams either needs a longer adjustment period or is simply unready to play in the NBA.

Following his rate of progression, however, it would not be unwise for the Bulls to make him a two-way player, if not finding a spot for him on the regular roster, depending on how he performs in the Summer League. His presence on the roster would likely not alter the postseason rotation but would allow head coach Billy Donovan to spell a frequently-injured Ball or one of the other backup guards in different situations.

It might be a long shot, but it is worth keeping tabs on Jones, one from the crop of underappreciated four-year college players with legitimate NBA potential.

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Second year defensive end Trevis Gipson could be one of the most important players on the Bears defense going forward.

Chicago Bears defensive end Trevis Gipson exploded onto the scene in his second year racking up seven sacks and five forced fumbles.  Gipson wasn’t supposed to receive the level of playing time necessary to become so productive but after Khalil Mack went down with an injury, Gipson came in and performed admirably in his stead.  Gipson performed so well in fact that he put the Bears in a position where they could trade away Mack to clear up some cap space and add a draft pick in the middle of the second round.

So what exactly did Gipson show in his second year as an edge defender for the Bears?  First, he showed off clear burst off the edge.  Gipson preferred to start from a standing stance and he was more often than not able to run past offensive tackles.  Second, Gipson showed off the ability to force fumbles racking up five in total, good for a tie for fifth most in the league.

So what does Gipson need to accomplish in his first year as a starter at defensive end opposite Robert Quinn?  Gipson needs to show more hand usage, and counter moves to his repertoire.  Gipson got by mostly on his speed, he needs to win the hand battles, generate his speed to power, and develop a rip move so he can better out leverage the blocker.  By using his speed to get into the body of the defender he can better use that to  bull rush the blocker.  Gipson did mention that he was bothered to see Khalil Mack traded to the Chargers, but now he needs to apply what he learned from Mack to become a more complete player.

What does Trevis Gipson bring to the defense?

Trevis Gipson clearly has all the tools, he has the size at 6-foot-4 261-pounds, the speed with a timed 4.68 40-yard dash plus he has the frame to add more mass without losing any of his speed.  Without question Gipson’s arrow is pointing up and he should come in and dominate in year three with the Bears.  He’s moving back to a more comfortable position for him as a base DE in the 4-3, and he’s going to be tutored up by Matt Eberflus who is a disciple of renowned defensive line coach and former Bears defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli.  If ever there was a place for position coaches to be enshrined into the NFL Hall of Fame in Canton Ohio, Marinelli has a clear case.

All that needs to happen now is for Trevis Gipson to take the opportunity in front of him and become the Bears pass rusher of the future.  Doing so would go a long way towards stabilizing a defense that is in rebuilding mode and would also provide draft value as most dominant pass rushers are found in the top-10  of the NFL Draft, not in the fifth round.  Trevis Gipson’s continued success would be the most important development the Bears could have on defense in 2022.

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Tim Anderson is headed back to the All-Star Game

It’s been a long time coming. White Sox shortstop, Tim Anderson, will be the first Sox shortstop to start in the All-Star Game since Luis Aparicio in 1970. After being so close to getting an at-bat during last year’s All-Star Game at Coors Field in Denver, this has got to feel good.

Tim Anderson shared these words after his team’s 7-5 loss to the Tigers on Friday: “I just have to continue to keep going and keep growing. You know it means a lot for people to be paying attention and root for me and vote for me. I’ll forever be thankful for them making that happen.”

Anderson’s victory over Bo Bichette of the Toronto Blue Jays was narrow. In the final ballot tally on Friday, Anderson received 55% of the vote and Bichette received 45%. The victory is well deserved. This season, Anderson has been one of the league’s most consistent hitters. He is no doubt an all-star.

Even with a 3-for-24 start to the homestand, he is hitting .316 with 5 homers, 10 stolen bases, and 35 runs scored. Anderson is one of the most formidable hitters in all of baseball. If he scores just 4 more homers, he will join Minnie Miñoso, Alexei Ramírez, and Ray Durham as the only players in White Sox history to put up over 100 home runs and over 100 stolen bases.

All-Star pitchers and reserves will be announced Sunday on ESPN at 4:30 p.m. CT. Dylan Cease is a very strong candidate to join Anderson at the All-Star Game. Make sure to tune in to find out the complete All-Star Roster.

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LOS ANGELES – Cubs right-hander Marcus Stroman went off the 15-day injured Saturday and straight into a pitchers’ duel with Dodgers lefty Clayton Kershaw.

The Cubs were monitoring Stroman’s workload in the start. He’d built up to 50-55 pitches in his rehab outing last week. But he made the most of the 59 pitches he threw in four innings against the Dodgers on Saturday.

Stroman held the Dodgers, who sit atop the National League West, scoreless. He gave up just two hits, both singles. He never allowed a runner into scoring position.

Stroman spent about a month on the IL with inflammation in his right shoulder. But he traced the issue back to his quick buildup in May after a bout with COVID-19.

To make room on the active roster for Stroman, the Cubs placed lefty Justin Steele on the paternity list.

Extra, extra

The Cubs played their 12th extra-inning game of the season Friday, leading Major League Baseball in that category. And three of their past six games have gone into extras.

The Cubs have not, however, fared well in those contests, going 3-9 in extra-inning games this season.

“The rewarding thing is we’ve been in a lot of tight games,” manager David Ross said early in the series. “These guys are getting playoff-type, experience, [facing] playoff-caliber teams: Boston, Milwaukee, St. Louis, the Yankees. We’re getting some real good experience this year that’s going to pay off in the long run for some of these young guys.”

Entering Saturday, playing 10 innings the night before provided an added challenge for the Cubs, whose rotation remains banged up. Extra innings mean an extra toll on the bullpen.

Ross also used an extra pitcher Friday after an inning-extending error by Seiya Suzuki.

In what should’ve been an inning-ending play in the sixth, Dodgers cleanup hitter Will Smith sliced a fly ball to right field. Suzuki drifted under it, but it kept curling toward the line and glanced off his glove. The Dodgers scored their first run on the error, and Ross replaced starter Keegan Thompson with veteran Chris Martin.

It was only Suzuki’s second error. A five-time Nippon Professional Baseball gold glover, Suzuki is known for his solid defense, which made it more head-scratching.

“It’s a really hard game we’re playing; sometimes things happen,” Ross said.

“I’m sure he wished he would have caught it.”

Martin went back out in the seventh but didn’t finish the inning. After Martin gave up a solo home run to Jake Lamb and a triple to Gavin Lux, reliever Scott Effross replaced him and got the last out.

Injury updates

Catcher Willson Contreras returned to the lineup Saturday, batting second as the designated hitter, after missing four games with a tight left hamstring.

Triple-A Iowa’s 10-1 win in Indianapolis featured two players in the second games of their rehab assignments.

Frank Schwindel (strained lower back) served as the designated hitter and went 1-for-4. Second baseman Nick Madrigal (strained left groin) went 0-for-3 with a walk and scored a run.

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By Brian Sandalow

For the Sun-Times

For 45 minutes, the Fire showed the best of their ability. Then they showed why their season is on the verge of effectively ending in July.

Saturday’s 3-2 loss to the Columbus Crew was the first match of a three-game homestand for the Fire that will continue Wednesday against Toronto FC and then Saturday against the Seattle Sounders. The Fire came into the day eight points out of a playoff spot, with just a 13% chance to reach the postseason per FiveThirtyEight.

More concretely, to reach the 48-point total that was good enough to reach the East playoffs in 2021, the Fire will need 31 points and average 2.06 per match over their last 15 games to hit that mark.

Over 90 minutes, the Fire (4-10-5, 17 points) started to make an argument that kind of run might be somewhat feasible. Then it became all too apparent why it won’t happen and why they’re last in the 28-team league, turning a 2-0 halftime lead into a gut-wrenching defeat against one of their rivals in front of a frustrated crowd of 15,157.

“We didn’t fight back, we didn’t fight in the second half at all,” coach Ezra Hendrickson said. “We just laid down and let them pass right through us, run by us. When you do that, teams punish you. [There’s] absolutely no excuse to lose a game at home like that, up 2-0 at halftime when all you have to do is manage the game, make sure the team doesn’t score and you win the game.”

The Fire took a 1-0 lead in the 29th minute when captain Rafael Czichos headed a sharp Chris Mueller cross past Crew goalkeeper Eloy Room. The goal was the first in MLS play for Czichos, who scored twice in the Fire’s U.S. Open Cup loss to Union Omaha.

Striker Jhon Duran then made his presence felt in the 41st minute when his low cross snuck through the Columbus defense and found Mueller, who doubled the Fire lead. Mueller, a Schaumburg native, scored for the second time since leaving Scottish side Hibernian for the Fire.

Yet instead of killing off the game and sealing three important points, the Fire allowed Columbus to make things interesting after the Crew changed their shape. Derrick Etienne scored in the 63rd minute to cut the Fire lead in half before Etienne evened things in the 75th. Columbus then took the lead in the 83rd when Cucho Hernandez got behind the Fire defense and chipped the ball over goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina.

Mueller also had issues with the Fire’s fight. Or, more accurately, the lack thereof, which could be worse than a lack of talent.

“Damn near, because you can control your fight,” Mueller said. “It definitely sucks that you’re losing games in areas that you can control. A lot of the goals that we’re giving up are so soft and a lot of them are our own fault. We’re shooting ourselves in the foot too often and it’s costing us crucial points, obviously.”

Any chance of a late Fire comeback was short-circuited when Miguel Navarro was handed a straight red card in the 90h minute. Hendrickson also removed Xherdan Shaqiri in the 80th minute after the high-priced designated player asked out due to a thigh issue.

NOTES: Duran started at striker in place of Kacper Przybylko. Acquired over the offseason from the Union for $1.15 million in allocation money, Przybylko has made little impact, scoring three times.

* Prior to the match, the Fire observed a moment of silence in memory of the victims of Monday’s mass shooting in Highland Park.

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Hours before taking part in her fifth three-point contest, the one that would make her the most decorated three-point shooter in WNBA/NBA history, Sky guard Allie Quigley warmed up with teammates Courtney Vandersloot and Candace Parker at McCormick Place.

Vandersloot, Quigley’s wife, served as a makeshift ball rack, methodically handing her a basketball after each attempt, while Parker stood inches from Quigley’s body, seemingly simulating the pressurized situation she would feel later in the day.

The advice Quigley received from her teammates was simple, but the words she got from Parker were direct.

”All my teammates just told me to have fun,” Quigley said after practice Saturday. ”But Candace told me I better win.”

A year ago, after winning her third three-point title, Quigley vowed she wouldn’t compete in the contest again. It was the first time in her career she recalled being booed by a crowd in unison. But the combination of the hometown stage for All-Star Weekend and encouragement from friends and family persuaded her to come out of her three-point retirement.

As Quigley approached the ball rack and heard the announcer start counting down, all she thought was, ”This is your time; go for it,” she said.

Her shot fell through the net effortlessly.

Quigley advanced past the first round after scoring 26 points, the highest among the six competitors, as Vandersloot and Parker looked on from the scorer’s table. Mystics guard Ariel Atkins and Dream rookie Rhyne Howard advanced to the second round, as well, each finishing with 24 points.

Following Atkins and Howard, Quigley’s second-round performance was even better. Vandersloot paced the sideline with Parker, who was wearing Quigley’s DePaul jersey, trying to calm her down. With every money ball Quigley made, Vandersloot’s and Parker’s elation grew.

As Quigley came to her money-ball rack, she couldn’t hear anything except four-time All-Star Jonquel Jones, who was telling her the title was hers. As the buzzer sounded, Quigley hit one more shot, bringing the crowd — including mom Christine, who was sitting in the stands with family — to its feet. She finished with 30 points.

After Quigley accepted her award, Parker embraced her before exclaiming, ”You need to rename it the Allie Quigley three-point contest.”

Entering the event, Quigley was tied with Larry Bird and Craig Hodges for the most three-point titles with three.

”This was the highlight of my weekend,” Sky general manager/coach James Wade said. ”For her to have this moment in her city adds to the Quigley legend. I can’t wait to see the movie.”

Quigley’s historic victory followed the skills competition that featured Vandersloot and Sky forward Azura Stevens. Both lost in the first round, with Stevens falling to eventual winner Sabrina Ionescu of the Liberty.

Vandersloot and Quigley have a trophy case at home, to which they’ll add Quigley’s fourth three-point trophy. Afterward, Quigley said there is no chance she will vie for a fifth title.

Quigley’s road in the WNBA was far from typical. She played on four teams in her first four years in the league before nearly giving up. After signing with the Sky following a year away from the WNBA, Quigley finally stuck.

Her advice for young players coming up behind her was honest.

”Sometimes things that you want to accomplish aren’t going to happen right away,” she said. ”It’s a journey. You have to stay the course, be coachable, be a good teammate and continue to learn.”

Skills participants:

Rhyne Howard, Atlanta Dream

Sabrina Ionescu, New York Liberty

Courtney Vandesloot, Chicago Sky

Jonquel Jones, Connecticut Sun

Kelsey Plum, Las Vegas Aces

Nalyssa Smith, Indiana Fever

Azur? Stevens, Chicago Sky

Jackie Young, Las Vegas Aces

Three-point participants:

Allie Quigley, Chicago Sky

Kelsey Plum, Las Vegas Aces

Arike Ogunbowale, Dallas Wings

Jewell Loyd, Seattle Storm

Ariel Atkins, Washington Mystics

Rhyne Howard, Atlanta Dream

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