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The Chicago Sky and New York Liberty pulled off a deal designed to have hometown appeal — for both teams. The Sky acquired Chicago native Cappie Pondexter for New York native Epiphanny Prince in a trade of all-star guards.
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Trading Prince seemed likely after she sat out much of the 2014 season because of fatigue from playing in Russia. Prince’s role after the Sky selected Elena Delle Donne in the 2013 WNBA draft had diminished from being the team’s scoring star. Prince did provide offense in Delle Donne’s absences caused by injury and illness.
But to the untrained eye (that would be those belonging to yours truly), there was something not quite right in the two seasons Prince and Delle Donne were on the team. Rather than those two players combining with center Sylvia Fowles to be the dominant team in the East, the Sky simply improved. And to the team’s credit, it did reach the league finals for the first time in franchise history in 2014 but lost to Phoenix.
Pondexter, a Marshall High grad who went to Rutgers (the same university that Prince attended), is 32; Prince is 27. Pondexter has a career average of 18.5 points, 4 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game. If nothing else, she might draw some fans to Allstate Arena.
“Being able to play for a team and coach with an opportunity to win a championship is exciting,” said Pondexter, who won WNBA titles with Phoenix in 2007 and 2009. “And coming home to do it is the best part!”
She averaged a career-low 13.2 points last season when she was hampered by injury.
“I am thrilled to have one of the league’s most fierce competitors join our team,” Sky general manager/coach Pokey Chatman said. “Cappie’s ability in the open court, half court, as well as on the defensive end of the floor, make us a better team. She’s an All-Star, a WNBA Champion and, simply put, a winner with a hunger for greatness that can galvanize a team in its pursuit of a championship.”
Liberty coach Bill Laimbeer (you may remember him from his NBA playing days with the Detroit Pistons) was equally enthusiastic about acquiring Prince.
“Epiphanny is a great talent and one of the top guards in the WNBA,” he said. “She’s a great competitor and possesses a high basketball IQ, which are attributes that will serve her well in the transition into our system.”
Prince averaged 15 points per game in 2014.
“Being able to return to New York and play for the Liberty at Madison Square Garden is a dream come true,” she said. “I look forward to playing in front of my friends and family and bringing a championship to my hometown.”
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