The Chicago Sky officially signed veteran guard Natasha Cloud on May 4, adding one of the WNBA’s most experienced defenders to a roster that already has gone through major changes this offseason.
In the team’s official press release, General Manager Jeff Paggliocca called Cloud “one of the best passers and guard defenders in our league” and added that her leadership and experience fit the direction this team hopes to go.
The signing came on the same day Chicago waived former first-round pick Hailey Van Lith. This move was very surprising to fans given that the organization had previously invested heavily in bringing her to Chicago.
The Sky also moved on from Li Yueru and Maddie Westbald, but later brought Westbald back to the team.
Cloud enters the Chicago locker room as a WNBA champion, three-time all-defensive team selection and one of the league’s most respected veteran guards. Last season with the New York Liberty she averaged 10.1 points and 5.1 assists per game.
Still, many fans questioned why a player with Cloud’s resume remained unsigned so late into free agency.
Online discussions and opinion pieces began speculating that her outspoken political activism may have contributed to the delay. A recent article published by The Nation, written by Dave Zirin, even questioned whether Cloud was being “blackballed” because of her activism and willingness to speak publicly on political and social issues.
Cloud has consistently used her platform to advocate for racial justice, LGBTQ+ rights, voting access and other social issues throughout her career. In 2020, she chose to sit out the WNBA season to focus on activism following te murder of George Floyd and the nationwide protest that followed.
“There are a lot of things you can boast about,” Cloud said, “but taking a stance in 2020 … I truly believe that God intended me to be a servant for my community and to others, and I wanted to stand on that.”
According to the WNBA, Cloud became one of the league’s leading activist voices during that time, helping organize marches, encouraging voter registration efforts and pushing for the Washington Mystics arena to serve as a polling location during the presidential election.
Most recently, Cloud has continued to use her platform to speak out on political and humanitarian issues, particularly regarding racial inequality, gun violence and the war in Gaza.
In 2024 and 2025, she publicly supported Palestinian civilians affected by the conflict and criticized the silence she believes exists within professional sports around global human rights issues.
Cloud has also continued advocating for stricter gun laws following multiple mass shootings across the United States, while repeatedly encouraging young people to stay politically engaged and vote in local and national elections.
Despite the outside conversations surrounding her free agency, Cloud’s arrival gives Chicago another veteran presence as the franchise attempts to quickly rebuild into a playoff contender.
Analysts have pointed to her defense, leadership and experience as a key reason the signing could immediately impact the Sky’s roster heading into opening night.