The Chicago Sky have an injury problem. This week, the front office finally took steps toward relieving the problem by waiving Moriah Jefferson and signing Turkish guard Sevgi Uzun.
Additions to the injury report piled up throughout the last week, culminating in a dismal availability report for Sunday’s game at the United Center. Angel Reese is expected to return from a back injury Tuesday against the Washington Mystics, but the rest of the roster is still mostly battered from a grueling season.
Ariel Atkins is no closer to returning after suffering a leg injury shortly before the All-Star break. Michaela Onyenwere is attempting to play through a leg injury and Hailey Van Lith has been in and out with an ankle injury. And all of these absences are predicated on the season-ending injury suffered by starting point guard Courtney Vandersloot in June, a loss that deeply impacted the depth of the Sky roster.
Jefferson has never been healthy since joining the Sky at the 2024 All-Star break. She appeared in only five games this season and managed to play more than eight minutes in a game only once. The guard tallied a total of 159 minutes for the Sky over two half-seasons.
General manager Jeff Pagliocca previously told the Tribune that the Sky planned to maintain Jefferson’s contract for two reasons — primarily in the hopes that the guard would return to full health, but additionally to provide time to scout and recruit players who were competing in EuroBasket. Although the Sky did ultimately replace Jefferson with a European player, this is more of a stopgap solution for the team than a major swing on an international star, such as the New York Liberty made in acquiring Emma Meesseman last week.
A 27-year-old veteran of the Turkish SuperLeague, Uzun will offer another option at the point guard position, which the Sky had previously been filling by committee with help from Van Lith and shooting guard Rachel Banham.
Uzun did not submit herself to the WNBA draft during her early years of eligibility, making her debut in the league last season with the Dallas Wings. She averaged 4.4 points, 3 assists and 0.9 steals per game with the Wings while starting in 19 of her 40 appearances.
Uzun started the 2025 WNBA season on a training camp contract with the Phoenix Mercury, where she worked her way onto the main roster for seven games before being waived to participate in EuroBasket with the Turkish national team.
While Uzun’s addition will accommodate the severe loss of depth in the Sky roster due to injury, the front office still faces a growing list of needs heading into the Aug. 7 trade deadline and a pivotal offseason.
