Napheesa Collier is giving the Chicago Sky all the credit after the Minnesota Lynx fell to the eventual champions in the WNBA playoffs.
“Chicago came out playing no games with us,” Collier said on the Tea with A & Phee podcast, referring to Minnesota’s single-elimination defeat. The Sky went on to win the WNBA Finals in a storybook ending that was almost too good to be true.
“It’s the story that you see in movies, like someone that gets drafted, they go away, they win there, they come back home and win it in the first year,” said A’ja Wilson of Candace Parker’s WNBA championship with her hometown team.
“When she called Lailaa over, the joy on her face,” remarked Collier of the now-iconic moment where Parker embraced her daughter following the Finals win, with Wilson adding, “I lost it at that part.”
Chicago’s slow start to the season and perseverance through the team’s playoff push also inspired both Collier and Wilson.
“Those are the moments you say ‘cherish,’ but when they look back on this, this is an epic story, huge, especially for a team like Chicago that was what — 16 and 16 to end the season.”
The Sky’s sixth seed makes the WNBA title even more unlikely and remarkable. “That shows that anyone can make it, too, everyone is good,” said Collier.
“I don’t want one or two seed,” joked Wilson. “Let me grind it out.”
The standout performer for Chicago was undoubtedly Finals MVP Kahleah ‘KFC’ Copper, who both Collier and Wilson shouted out.
“KFC was killing it. She took over the whole series,” said Wilson. “It was like a different mode, she was just so locked in. To see ‘Kah’ playing like that… she is so hard to guard because she is one of the quickest players in our league.”
“Do not let her get in transition, stop the ball because you will lose,” warned Collier.
Overall, Wilson says Copper and the Sky’s success showcases the depth of the WNBA. “It goes to show how good our league really is from top to bottom.”
You can listen to Collier and Wilson’s full playoffs recap on Tea with A & Phee.