Azurá Stevens’ Journey Back to the Court with the Chicago Sky

In the early weeks of their season, the Chicago Sky’s Azurá Stevens found frustration growing. The veteran forward was confined to the sideline, dealing with the aftermath of a bone bruise sustained at the end of the Unrivaled season. This injury forced her away from basketball for months, overlapping with a challenging free-agency period.

Watching her teammates compete from the sidelines didn’t diminish her frustration. Stevens shared these feelings with Courtney Vandersloot, a long-time teammate since 2020. The process felt lengthy, and her knee continued to bother her. Every day seemed like a struggle. Vandersloot, who was 11 months into recovering from her first major injury in her 16-year career, offered practical advice: Keep going; the end is nearer than it seems. Although helpful, these words didn’t fully comfort Stevens as she watched from the bench during the Sky’s season-opening win.

Yet, when Stevens finally stepped onto the court at Wintrust Arena, memories of winning a championship with the Sky and the presence of supportive fans brought clarity. She realized Vandersloot was right. Stevens told the Tribune, “Even though there’s a day-to-day grind, if you keep walking in and stacking days, before you know it you’re going to reach your goals. It’s a blessing.”

“It’s a new era.”

Injuries have punctuated Stevens’ WNBA career. In 2019, she played only nine games due to foot surgery. The next year, a season-ending knee injury cut short her time on the court. Subsequent seasons brought more injuries. Last season was significant for Stevens as she managed to play all regular-season games for the Los Angeles Sparks, spending an average of 28.4 minutes on the court. However, this success was soon overshadowed by the bone bruise injury during the Unrivaled season.

Stevens explained, “A bone bruise doesn’t show knee fragility, just the impact’s severity. Supplements and exercises help, but time heals.” With this in mind, Stevens took a break, spending time with family and even vacationing in Jamaica. Despite her efforts to relax, she remained anxious to return to basketball as the Sky’s games began.

“It’s really frustrating,” Stevens admitted. “This injury tested my patience like none before. Facing adversity teaches valuable lessons.”

During her career, Stevens has learned the nuances of recovery. Returning to Chicago, she noticed significant changes in the team’s approach to player health. The Sky hired Jess Cohen as director of health and human performance and expanded the player performance team by adding new positions, including athletic trainers and a massage therapist.

Previously, Stevens felt that the team was committed to recovery but lacked sufficient resources. Now, with the new downtown training facility at UIC, accessing third-party care was easier and the expertise of staff members like Cohen instilled confidence. Stevens expressed her appreciation, stating, “The new staff isn’t improvising. Their professionalism makes a huge difference.”

Despite being back on the court, Stevens isn’t playing to her full potential due to a strict minutes restriction. Playing against the Toronto Tempo, she faced limits of 16 minutes per game, approximately four minutes per quarter.

Stevens views this limit as a positive challenge, saying, “You focus on details and make the most of each minute, avoiding mistakes.”

The restriction poses a challenge for both Stevens and coach Tyler Marsh. “You try to place her strategically without overextending,” Marsh said. “Ensuring she’s effective within her restrictions requires careful management.”

Stevens and Marsh remain hopeful about her full recovery. While there’s no exact timeline, the team aims to progressively increase her playing time to 25-28 minutes per game. The Sky anticipates harnessing Stevens’ skills fully shortly.

“Recovery is progressing. It’s about timing and effort.”