Rebounding was a predictable problem for the Sky given how guard-heavy the roster is, and it’s hurt them recently. The Sky entered Friday night’s game against the Lynx dead last in defensive rebounding percentage.
Practice and film sessions this past week focused on cleaning it up.
While being undersized contributes, the Sky have struggled even when using their two-big lineup. Players have been adamant that effort and attention-to-detail are the biggest factors.
“Rebound is heart and hustle,” forward Azurá Stevens said last week. “There’s not a lot of technique to it. You got to hit somebody and keep a body on them.”
The Sky got strong rebounding performances from guards Skylar Diggins and Natasha Cloud to start the season. More of that will help.
They also signed rookie Saylor Poffenbarger to a hardship contract in part to address the problem. She averaged 6.3 rebounds per game during her college career, with stops at UConn, Arkansas and Maryland.
“That’s kind of what I pride myself in: playing really hard, getting extra possessions, rebounding, playing fast,” Poffenbarger said after shootaround Friday.
Poffenbarger went undrafted but had been signed to a training camp contract with the Lynx. When she didn’t make the roster, she went back home to train in Maryland.
She’s still adjusting to how fast the league moves. The Sky reached out to her Tuesday evening, and the next day she suited up against the Tempo.
“To be on a roster in the W is difficult, so just embracing this, coming in and just playing really hard,” Poffenbarger said.
Missing the rook
Rookie Gabriela Jaquez missed her second straight game with a knee injury Friday, but she was able to participate in parts of shootaround, coach Tyler Marsh said.
The No. 5 pick in the 2026 draft injured her left knee May 17 against the Lynx.
She is averaging 11.5 points and 5.3 rebounds per game so far this season — a strong stat line for a rookie. Her rebounding average leads all rookies, and her scoring average is sixth.
“I think the hardest part for me is to just go from one season to the next, really quick,” Jaquez said Monday after practice. “It’s just a lot of games, which — I love playing basketball, so it’s fun for me — but I’m also big on taking breaks in the offseason. Like having a couple weeks off to just not touch a basketball.”
Jaquez had exactly 14 days from winning the national championship with UCLA to the start of Sky training camp.
And she was handed a heavy load immediately — her 28.3 minutes per game ranks second among rookies.
She will be reevaluated early next week, per a team source.
Out of shape
Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve had a theory for why there have been so many injuries league-wide: protracted CBA negotiations delayed the typical free agency and offseason calendar for players.
“It’s not all the injuries, of course, but we didn’t have players that were in great shape, so it’s hard to all of a sudden ramp up,” she said. “I think it had a little something to do with it.”
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