Sky offseason update: Giving and returning
2022 is coming to an end but not before some Sky players returned from injuries and others gave back to their communities.
Below is the updated list of the Sky players overseas and their respective teams.
Emma Meesseman – Fenerbahçe in Turkey
Julie Allemand – LDLC ASVEL in France
Rebekah Gardner – Spar Girona in Spain
Azurá Stevens – Galatasaray in Turkey
Dana Evans – Beşiktaş in Turkey
Ruthy Hebard – Atomerőmű KSC Szekszárd in Hungary
Emma Meesseman, F
Meesseman made her 2022-2023 season debut in Istanbul for Fenerbahçe on Nov. 12 against Kayseri in Turkish League play. In her first game back, she notched 11 points and 3 rebounds. Since her return, she had her best game of the season against Cankaya on Dec. 4 with a double-double of 26 points and 13 boards, adding in 5 steals as well. Meesseman is averaging about 18 points and 8 rebounds a game.
Meesseman also made her return to the Belgian national team for the two FIBA Women’s EuroBasket Qualifiers. In the first game, Meesseman and Belgium dominated North Macedonia, 112-41, with Meeseman putting up 17 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists. She was one rebound shy of a triple-double in the second game against Bosnia-Herzegovina with 20 points, 10 assists and 9 rebounds in the 100-60 win.
*Meesseman is splitting her time between Turkey and Belgium. Turkish League play will end in December while Euroleague play continues through March.
Julie Allemand, G
After tending to an undisclosed injury, Allemand made her season debut with LDLC Lyon ASVEL Feminin on Dec.4 against Tarbes. In the 64-52 win, she finished with 10 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists. Allemand did not travel with the Belgian national team for the EuroBasket Qualifiers.
Rebekah Gardner, G
After her MVP performance for Spar Girona in October, Gardner has kept her foot on the gas. Gardner set a new season high with 22 points along with 6 rebounds and 2 assists in a close 64-62 loss to Kutxabank Araski on Dec. 1. Spar Girona sits at 8-2 in Spanish League play and has an overall record of 11-5.
Azurá Stevens, F-C
Stevens and Galatasaray were sitting at 6-0 before Mersin, led by Sky assistant coach Emre Vatansever, played spoiler, 68-54. Meesseman & Fenerbahçe handed Stevens another loss, 80-72. Those losses haven’t stifled Stevens’ season, averaging 14.5 points and 10.8 rebounds in Turkish League play and 20.5 points and 5 rebounds in EuroCup play.
Dana Evans, G
Evans and Beşiktaş have struggled when it comes to an overall record, sitting at 3-8 . However, Evans is having a lights-out season in regards to scoring. She scored a career-high 41 points along with 7 rebounds in the 92-87 loss to Mersin on Dec. 4. On the season, Evans is averaging 23 points and 4.9 assists.
Ruthy Hebard, F
Hebard is putting up consistent numbers for the 9-4 Atomerőmű KSC Szekszárd, averaging 12.4 points and 7.3 rebounds in Hungarian League play and 13.5 points and 8.8 rebounds in Euroleague. She put up her season high of 19 points on Nov.r 30 in the 91-58 win against Cegledi.
News & Notes
Courtney Vandersloot will not be traveling overseas to join Sopron in Hungary for the foreseeable future.
Kahleah Copper kept busy with some charity work both in Chicago and in Philadelphia. In mid-November, the Sky guard partnered with Gatorade and Good Sports Inc. to give new basketball equipment for some youth girls teams.
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She also came back to the Windy City and partnered with Nordstrom to give winter coats to kids at A. Philip Randolph Elementary school.
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Candace Parker has been in the headlines recently. ESPNW announced on Nov. 3 the completion of a documentary on the Chicago native. This is the first feature from the W studios.
Who's excited? 🎉
— espnW (@espnW) November 3, 2022
A new @espn documentary showcasing the life of @Candace_Parker is coming soon! pic.twitter.com/nhcNqt4tJ9
Parker also announced her intent to return to the WNBA for the 2023 season. To read more about that decision, you can click here.