1. The Sky started 2012 with a bang, making a blockbuster deal on
January 2nd, as they traded the 2nd overall pick in the 2012 draft to the
Seattle Storm for Swin Cash, as well as Le’Coe Willingham. Cash, a 3-
time WNBA champion who had been to the playoffs in nine of her first
10 seasons, was coming off a year in which she had per game averages
of 13.3 points and 6.9 rebounds. Willingham, a 4-time conference and 2-
time WNBA champion, had averages of 6.4 points and 4.2 rebounds per
game in 2012.
In addition to the two players, the Sky also received one of
Seattle’s 2nd round selections, the 23rd overall pick. With the pick, the
Sky selected Shey Peddy, a guard from Temple University, in the April
draft. During her senior year, Peddy averaged 17.3 PPG and helped her
team make the Sweet Sixteen in the WNIT. In addition to the selection
of Peddy, the Sky also selected Sydney Carter, a guard from Texas
A&M.
Outside of the draft, the Sky also acquired several other players
during the offseason. In early February, the Sky signed two-time WNBA
champion Ruth Riley, a center who had most recently played for the San
Antonio Silver Stars. Over the course of her career, Riley had averaged
6.3 PPG, 4.0 RPG, and 1.6 BPG. The signing also reunited Riley with
former Shock teammate Swin Cash. Notably, the two played together
during the 2003 season when the Shock won the WNBA title, which
represented one of Riley’s 10 career playoff appearances.
Later the same month, the Sky signed Ticha Penicheiro, the all-
time WNBA assists leader and a WNBA champion with the Sacramento
Monarchs in 2005. During her time in the WNBA, Penicheiro had
averaged 6.2 PPG, 5.9 APG. Prior to signing with the Sky, she had been
a member of the Los Angeles Sparks, where she had averaged game 6
points per game and 4.8 assists per game during the 2011 season.
The Sky’s final addition of the offseason came with the trade for Sonja
Petrovic, a Serbian national team member who had been drafted by the
San Antonio Silver Stars in 2009 but who had never signed a WNBA
contract. Sky coach Pokey Chatman had worked with Petrovic for
several years while coaching overseas in the EuroLeague, leading to her
pursuit of the forward. With all the additions, the Sky looked to improve

2. upon their 2011 campaign and continue to build the puzzle and create a
team built for a Championship run.