Commissioner’s Cup Preview

On July 26, the second annual WNBA Commissioner’s Cup is set to be played. The Chicago Sky and the
Las Vegas Aces, two of the W’s best teams, will play at Wintrust Arena—the recent home of the WNBA
All-Star Game—at 7:30 pm Central. Here is a quick breakdown and preview of the Cup.
The standout fact of these two teams is how much talent permeates both rosters. The Aces have three
former #1 overall picks (Jackie Young, A’ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum) and the Sky have two WNBA Finals
MVPs (Kahleah Copper and Emma Meesseman) and one of the 25 best players ever in Candace Parker.
Both teams have multiple All-Stars and lots of depth.

It starts with the point guard matchup. Chicago’s Courtney Vandersloot is the most optimal floor
general, one of the best assist-makers in WNBA history. “Sloot” is averaging 6.2 assists this season but
will make timely buckets when the moment calls for it. She hit a game-winner over Minnesota’s Sylvia
Fowles last month to give the Sky an 88-85 victory over the Lynx. On the other side, Las Vegas has
scoring-minded Kelsey Plum, who is averaging over 20 points per game for the first time in her career.
Plum was moved into the starting role this year and she has more than brought quality production. Plum
was the All-Star MVP this year, adding another accolade for her MVP-caliber season. The two lead
guards will look to outdo each other in their respective ways, and it will be a big determining factor in
who wins the Cup.

This matchup also sees a legendary player facing off with a legend in the making. Candace Parker has
been a staple in the WNBA and women’s sports for the past two decades. She is the first player to win
Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same season. She’s a two-time champion and has a lengthy career
resume. At 36, she is nearing the end of her career, which could end after this season. And then there is
Vegas’ A’ja Wilson. Another skilled forward who won an MVP before the age of 25. She is a multi-time
All-Star and is one of the best players today. The two will likely be facing each other head on a lot of
times on the court. Will Parker have a vintage game, or will Wilson be the more dominant forward?
Overall, these are two teams who could very likely meet in the WNBA Finals this year. The
Commissioner’s Cup could be a preview of the Finals and these two championship-caliber teams will
face off for the Cup. Catch the action on Amazon Prime.