Natasha Cloud Signs With Chicago Sky Two Weeks Into 2026 Training Camp

Natasha Cloud signed with the Chicago Sky two weeks into the 2026 WNBA training camp, ESPN reported. The 34-year-old guard had remained unsigned after parting ways with her agent shortly before the free agency negotiation period opened. The new collective bargaining agreement was reached March 20, 2026.

Free agency talks began just over two weeks later, and the draft followed seven days after that. Cloud described the period as the "hunger games" amid widespread movement of players not on rookie contracts. Cloud told ESPN she experienced a breakdown during the wait.

"There was a point where I had my breakdown, my little moment," she said. "Yeah, I didn't know if I was going to play in the W again. " Former teammate Izzy Harrison later connected her with agent Fabio Jardine.

Cloud had been traded from the Phoenix Mercury before the season and played one year with the New York Liberty. She is a former WNBA champion who once led the league in assists and earned three All-Defensive Team selections while starting every game since 2018. The Sky entered the offseason with plans to compete rather than rebuild.

General manager Jeff Pagliocca traded two-time All-Star Angel Reese for a pair of first-round picks and acquired Rickea Jackson. The team also signed Skylar Diggins, DiJonai Carrington, Azura Stevens and Cloud. Courtney Vandersloot remained sidelined recovering from ACL surgery.

Chicago opened the season with four new starters and nine newcomers overall. The Sky posted a 1-11 stretch early and stand at 7-14 as of July 10, 2026. They have not recorded a winning season since 2022.