Fans, team celebrate Sky’s WNBA title: ‘I think it’s going to make the city a little happier’Madeline Kenneyon October 19, 2021 at 6:26 pm

The Chicago Sky celebrates its WNBA Championship title at Pritzker Pavilion. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times

Fans gathered in Millennium Park and along the Michigan Avenue parade route to celebrate the team’s first title.

Hey, Chicago Sky — don’t stop now.

That was the message from some fans gathered for Tuesday’s championship celebration.

A city hungry for something to be happy about won’t be happy with just one WNBA title. They think the Sky are poised for another.

Or three.

Larry Jones, 68, was along the Michigan Avenue parade route and said he’s confident the Sky can pull off “the ultimate three-peat” and made his own sign to make that clear.

“I think it’s going to make the city a little happier,” he said.

Jason Beeferman/Sun-Times
Larry Jones, 68, predicted more Sky titles with his sign. The North Sider was along the Michigan Avenue parade route Tuesday morning.

The Sky’s come-from-way-behind win on Sunday gave Chicago its first major league championship in five years, and was being celebrated with a parade, then a rally at the Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park.

The Sky beat the Phoenix Mercury 80-74 Sunday at Wintrust Arena. The win made the Sky the first Chicago sports team to win a title since the Cubs won it all in 2016, ending a centurylong drought. The Sky were also the first team to win a championship at home since the Blackhawks in 2015.

“Yo, Courtney you want an Angry Orchard?” Candace Parker yelled back to her point guard on Bus 2 before it departed Wintrust Arena on its championship route.

The parade left Wintrust Arena about 11:25 a.m. — a little later than the scheduled 11 a.m. start time. The motorcade headed to Michigan Avenue, then north toward Millennium Park for the noon rally.

Madeline Kenney/Sun-Times
Inside the Pritzker PavilionMark Capapas/Sun-Times
The Chicago Sky buses along Michigan Avenue at Millennium Park on Tuesday.

Fans lined Michigan Avenue to cheer on the champions.

Sky point guard Courtney Vandersloot looked out at fans waving, took a deep breath and said, “I truly can’t believe this.”

As the parade came to an end, hundreds more fans flocked to the Pritzker Pavilion, where thousands had already gathered in anticipation for the rally. Some fans arrived as early as 9 a.m. for the noon ceremony, including Christina Ratliff and her 10-year-old daughter Jazmyn who came from Melrose Park.

“We’re playing hooky today,” Ratliff said.

Some people started to line up on the edge overlooking the outdoor theatre as red seats filled up. People danced and clapped along to the beat of the music. Some waved baby-blue Sky flags and pumped their fists in the air.

The Whitney Young girls’ varsity basketball team was sitting just left to the stage.

“I’m just happy to see women representing our city and representing basketball and bringing a championship to the city,” junior guard Olivia Vick said. “It’s just great to see that one day all of us can be in their shoes and they’re big role models.”

Mark Capapas/Sun-Times
Players and fans start the celebration at the Pritzker Pavilion.

Among those speaking from the stage was Chance the Rapper, who declared:

“I’m going to make this quick because I had champagne for breakfast.”

While plenty of people lined the parade route, some fans went right to the rally site at Pritzker Pavilion to claim a spot once it opened at 10 a.m.

Mark Capapas/Sun-Times
The celebration begins at Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park, where fans gathered in honor of the Chicago Sky’s first WNBA title.

Ken Justus, with his handmade “Sky-Town” sign, lined up early to get into the rally.

“This is all about happiness,” said Justus, 65, who lives near Mayfair Park. “I had a good feeling about it the whole year, even when they were at the bottom. I thought they were gonna turn it around and they did. They did!”

Jason Beeferman/Sun-Times
Ken Justus was among the Chicago Sky fans showing up earlyTuesday for the rally at Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park celebrating the team’s WNBA title.

Over 100 Chicago Sky fans wore jerseys and other fan gear as some sat on a curb along Michigan Avenue, waiting to catch a glimpse of the newly appointed champions.

Fans formed circles and chatted as they waited for the motorcade, and everyone had their phones in hand, ready to take photos of their favorite players.

Among those out on the parade route were Ashley Flattery and Paul Bulow, who attended every home playoff game they could and were inside Wintrust Arena for the series clincher on Sunday.

Manny Ramos/Sun-Times
Ashley Flattery and Paul Bulow, were inside Wintrust Arena to see the Chicago Sky win the WNBA title on Sunday, and then took off work to attend the parade and rally on Tuesday.

The mood was electrifying — so much so they wore earplugs to soften the sound of cheers.

“We took off work to show support and we wanted to be close to the start of the parade,” Flattery said, as she and Bulow stood along Michigan Avenue Tuesday. “This is exciting and it’s great to be here today.”

The pair said they been Chicago Sky fans since 2014 and have fallen in love with the WNBA. Bulow hopes this is the beginning of many championship parades.

“I know we have a some free agents coming up next season but I hope we can keep everyone together,” Bulow said. “This team was so fun to watch all year long.”

Vickie Williams, a South Side native, eagerly stood on Michigan Ave waiting for the team to roll by.

Jason Beeferman/Sun-Times
Vickie Williams predicts a repeat for the Chicago Sky.

“We need this in Chicago,” said Williams, 39, a Chicago police officer. “Crime is a little high, the COVID thing and everything, we need some positivity.”

Williams said she has a feeling she’ll be back next year.

“We’re gonna win again, back to back,” she said. “We have a great team, great fans, going into the next season it’s going to be good.”

Reportedly, Diana Taurasi, who plays for the Mercury, was so upset by the loss that she broke a door at Wintrust Arena — and there was a broken door out on the stage. James Wade, the Sky’s head coach, confirmed to a reporter that it was the door Taurasi had broken.

Madeline Kennay/Sun-Times
The Chicago Sky tweeted a picture of a broken door on stage at the Pritzker Pavilion, announcing it as “a special guest appearance.” Diana Taurasi, who plays for the Phoenix Mercury, reportedly broke a door at Wintrust Arena in frustration after the Sky rallied from a 14-point deficit to take the title.

Read More