Dana Evans and Isabelle Harris (Photo via Chicago Sky postgame press conference)
The Chicago Sky’s Dana Evans and Isabelle Harrison got emotional while speaking about the abuse they’ve been receiving from their own fans after the team’s loss to the Connecticut Sun.
The Sky played their final game of the season on Thursday night. They suffered a double blow, given Angel Reese’s season-ending injury and the fact that they’ve missed the playoffs for the first time in six years.
🚨 CLINCHED 🚨
With the Chicago Sky’s loss to the Connecticut Sun, the Atlanta Dream secure the final spot in the 2024 WNBA Playoffs presented by @google!#WelcometotheW pic.twitter.com/ZJfm4KVQhX
— WNBA (@WNBA) September 20, 2024
Chicago won’t play postseason basketball in 2024 following their blowout 87-54 loss to Connecticut. Two of their players—the aforementioned Dana Evans and Isabelle Harris—made claims of fan abuse as they reviewed the season and its challenges.
“A roller coaster ride,” Evans said of the campaign. “[Personally] I went from starting to playing to not getting into the game.
“So, it’s hard right? And you just got to be better. Come back 10 times better and even harder and ready to compete again next year. And for the team, I feel like we went through so much. I mean injury after injury, people getting sick. That’s no excuse, but it was hard.
“It was a rough season all around because of the health and everything like that. It was a lot stuff that we couldn’t even focus on basketball. We were having to take care of stuff outside of basketball, which is a distraction.”
Dana Evans And Isabelle Harris Were Hurt By The Criticism But Acknowledged They Need To Be Better
Evans also spoke about the unfair criticism the team endured throughout the term. Harrison admitted it was very difficult to deal with the hate from fans, though they both agreed that they should be better next season.
https://t.co/onA6gSm0Ku pic.twitter.com/WxeUjWRNyP
— The Sky Show CHI (@TheSkyShowCHI) September 20, 2024
“Just being better the next time we step on the court and just addressing the things you could’ve done better to bring into the following year,” Harrison said.
The Sky hope to have Reese for the entire 2025 campaign, as her absence likely cost them a postseason berth.