The WNBA announced Chicago Sky head coach and general manager James Wade was named the 2022 WNBA Basketball Executive of the Year. This is his first time receiving the award since its inception in 2017.

Under Wade this season, the Sky tied for the best record in the WNBA and logged the highest winning percentage in franchise history (.722). They also led the league in field goal percentage (48.1%) and assists (24.3 per game) and ranked second in scoring (86.3 points per game) and blocked shots (4.3 per game).

As a general manager, Wade went to work in the offseason knowing that Candace Parker was the only returning starter under contract. The Sky eventually re-signed Kahleah Copper, Courtney Vandersloot and Allie Quigley to slot in alongside Parker.

In free agency, Wade picked up Emma Meesseman, which added a third former WNBA Finals MVP (Copper in 2021 and Parker in 2016) onto the Sky roster. He also signed Rebekah Gardner, who made her WNBA debut this season (she averaged 8.4 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.4 steals a game in her rookie campaign).

On the trade market, Wade acquired Julie Allemand from the Indiana Fever and the rights to center Li Yueru from the Los Angeles Sparks.

Wade joined the franchise in November of 2018. In his first season with the Sky, he earned the 2019 WNBA Coach of the Year honor and was the first Sky head coach to win the award.