The Chicago Sky continue their roster revamp, and their latest addition with a UConn connection will bring in some valuable winning pedigree to the new-look roster ahead of the 2026 WNBA season.
The Chicago-based franchise has hired Kelly Faris as an assistant coach. The former WNBA player will form part of the coaching staff designated to help head coach Tyler Marsh in improving the franchise’s results.
Faris was a two-time NCAA Champion under Geno Auriemma at UConn before playing six seasons in the WNBA and spending multiple years overseas, ultimately retiring from the game in 2019.
Missed this yesterday: Chicago Sky hired former UConn women’s basketball star Kelly Faris as an assistant coach
Kelly helped UConn win 2 national championships + played for the CT Sun for 4 seasons
Most recently, she was an assistant coach w/ the NBA G League’s Noblesville Boom
— Maggie Vanoni (@maggie_vanoni) April 18, 2026
Kelly Faris has since held multiple assistant coaching positions at the high school and collegiate levels, with her last stint coming in the NBA G-League with Indiana’s affiliate, the Noblesville Boom. Chicago General Manager Jeff Pagliocca has underlined the franchise’s win-now mentality, and these backroom additions will aid the Sky in their mission.
The franchise was rooted to the bottom of the league standings for two successive years, despite Angel Reese’s All-Star worthy campaigns. Over two years, the Sky managed only 23 wins, with the current head coach coming in 2025, a season where the Sky posted a 10-34 win-loss record.
She joins a new-look Chicago Sky front office, with fellow assistant coach Jhared Simpson coming in this offseason as well. Jhared left his Director of Player Development role with the Dallas Wings to join the Sky coaching staff, having worked as an assistant coach for multiple years at Indiana before the Dallas stint.
The changes in the Sky front office are because of key departures, with Tanisha Wright leaving her role for the Penn State head coach job, and Courtney Paris joining the New York Liberty in an assistant coaching capacity.
Rena Watkins returns in her assistant coaching role, with all three expected to work alongside lead assistant Latricia Trammell, who arrived in late 2025 after a stint as the Dallas head coach.
Kelly Faris and her coaching work at the high school and collegiate level will help Chicago rookies get up to speed with the WNBA standards quickly, having even done so herself during her playing days.
The 35-year-old was an elite defender starting from her college years, and will help stars like Gabriela Jaquez, Jacy Sheldon, and Hailey Van Lith focus on their defensive assignments, especially as the league prioritizes perimeter shooting, fluid ball movement, and speed in transition.
Faris will also play an instrumental role in finalizing the 12 active roster spots from the ongoing training camp, with intriguing prospects like 2025 draft pick Jordan Hobbs also competing for a final roster spot.
As Chicago prepares for the new season without Angel Reese on the roster, the former Sky big has underlined her intentions after joining the Atlanta Dream.
‘Wanted More’ – Angel Reese explains her mindset after Atlanta Dream move
The headlines were filled with Angel Reese and Angel Reese only after the Chicago Sky traded their supposed centerpiece to the Atlanta Dream this offseason. And while the 23-year-old has been vocal about her dissatisfaction with the Sky front office because of a lack of roster investment around her, Reese has explained her reasoning behind the Dream move.
Talking in her first official press conference after being unveiled as an Atlanta player, Reese said, “I enjoyed being able to grow within my first two years, but I wanted more. I love to win, I love to compete, and I want to be surrounded by people who can make me better. And I am not satisfied with what I am as a player, and I feel like being around these kinds of players would help me be better. I can help them in different ways to help them win, and that’s all I ever wanted.”
In her two years at Chicago, Angel Reese averaged 14.1 points and 12.9 rebounds per game, earning herself back-to-back WNBA All-Star honors. And as the franchise failed to capitalize on her on-court displays, the 23-year-old voiced her frustration at not being able to compete at the top, demanding that the front office invest more in building a competitive roster around her.
And while, at the time, Chicago General Manager Jeff Pagliocca refuted any intentions of trading Reese, the team traded the 23-year-old away during the offseason. However, it was the lack of return in the trade that surprised fans and experts, with the Sky receiving two future draft picks while also giving away a pick swap option to the Atlanta Dream in the trade.
The trade almost felt like a reaction to Reese’s public demands. However, reports have pointed out that the Chicago Sky locker room is not as sad about the trade, with not many having a positive outlook towards Reese and her behavior during her two years in Chicago.
So now that the 23-year-old has a competitive roster, she is also coming into a locker room that is filled with players who achieved one of the best regular seasons last year, without her. And it will be interesting to see how she fits into an ambitious Atlanta Dream lineup.
