Natasha Cloud Isn't Running From the Chicago Chaos
Three straight playoff misses. A head coach whose job security is openly questioned. A fanbase searching for answers. For most players, that's a franchise to quietly distance yourself from — but St. Joseph's alumna Natasha Cloud isn't most players.
The Chicago Sky guard has stepped into the storm as one of the franchise's most vocal defenders, publicly backing the organization's direction even as outside scrutiny intensifies around head coach Tyler Marsh's future. While dark clouds gathered over the Sky's 2026 season finale, Cloud held her umbrella up for the front office, arguing that the franchise's moves — however polarizing — were made with conviction and purpose.
It's a notable posture. The Sky finished outside the postseason for the third consecutive year, a stretch that has transformed the organization from a 2021 WNBA champion into a cautionary tale about roster construction and continuity. Marsh, who has overseen a significant roster overhaul, now faces the kind of pointed questions that typically precede a coaching change. Cloud's willingness to engage that narrative publicly — rather than deflect — says something about both her standing in the locker room and her investment in Chicago's rebuild.
A Week That Mirrored the Season
The final week of the regular season added one more layer of uncertainty. Cloud appeared on injury reports ahead of both of Chicago's closing games, creating doubt about whether she'd even take the floor for the Sky's curtain call.
She did suit up for Wednesday's home matchup against the Toronto Tempo, a 97-85 Chicago win — one of the few bright spots in an otherwise forgettable stretch. The following night, the Sky dropped a 93-101 decision to the Washington Mystics, closing the books on a season that never found its footing.
No detailed stat lines were available for either game, but Cloud's presence in the lineup — despite the injury cloud hanging over her — underscored her importance to a team still trying to establish an identity.
The Bigger Picture for a Hawk in the WNBA
Cloud's tenure in Chicago has put her in an awkward spotlight: talented enough to be a franchise cornerstone, but playing for a franchise that hasn't been able to build around its core. The question heading into the offseason isn't just about Marsh's job — it's about whether the Sky can retain players like Cloud if the organizational instability continues.
Fellow St. Joseph's alumna Laura Ziegler remains on the Los Angeles Sparks roster, though she had no notable activity during this stretch.
For Cloud, the message to the outside world was clear: she believes in Chicago's vision, even when the results haven't backed it up. Whether that loyalty is rewarded with a retooled, competitive roster in 2027 — or whether the franchise faces another painful rebuild — remains the central question hanging over the Sky this offseason.
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