Month: June 2021

Migos’ Culture III rollout is going as well as could be expected with a global pandemic to deal with. Shortly after releasing lead single “Straightenin,” the Atlanta trio revealed the release date with a Michael Jordan-style statement, then announced a festival in Las Vegas to promote the project before sharing the avant-garde cover art. Today, they presented the next piece of the puzzle, revealing the tracklist and features, which naturally include Offset’s wife Cardi B and their longtime collaborator Drake.

The project also boasts the dubious distinction of hosting two posthumous appearances from Juice WRLD and Pop Smoke, as well as a potentially star-making performance for Youngboy Never Broke Again, and an eyebrow-raising guest spot from Justin Bieber, who has previously worked with Quavo on his song “Intentions” and DJ Khaled’s “I’m The One” and “No Brainer.” Future and Polo G round out the features on an 18-song tracklist that surprisingly does not include “Rolling Stone,” the song Offset told Billboard is the one he can’t stop playing from the album. Perhaps it was cut at the last minute or maybe the name was changed (or Offset misremembered it); we’ll find out this Friday.

Culture III is due 6/11 via Quality Control and Motown/Capitol. You can participate in their first listen Thursday at apple.co/FirstListenMigos.

The 2020-21 NBA MVP race was one in which a number of players found their name in the conversations at various points during the season, but one name was at the top of the list throughout: Nikola Jokic.

The Nuggets do-it-all center dominated throughout the season, playing in all 72 games for Denver to led them to the 3-seed in the West, averaging 26.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, 8.3 assists, and 1.3 steals per game on 56.6/38.8/86.8 shooting splits. That consistent dominance has earned him this year’s MVP award, with Shams Charania of The Athletic breaking the news before what one would expect to be the official announcement either tonight on TNT’s pregame show or later this week when the Suns-Nuggets series shifts back to Denver.

Jokic beat out Joel Embiid, Stephen Curry, and others for the award, as there were, as always, a number of special individual seasons from around the NBA, but even as players entered and exited the MVP conversation, Jokic was the constant throughout. While it’s always important to remember that the MVP is a regular season award, Jokic has made sure to back up his stellar play in the postseason, dominating his first round matchup with the Blazers to lead Denver to a second round showdown with the Suns.

We’ll learn the full voting breakdown when the announcement is made official, but it’s fairly safe to assume that Jokic won the award by a fairly comfortable margin.

Indie music has grown to include so much. It’s not just music that is released on independent labels, but speaks to an aesthetic that deviates from the norm and follows its own weirdo heart. It can come in the form of rock music, pop, or folk. In a sense, it says as much about the people that are drawn to it as it does about the people that make it.

Every week, Uproxx is rounding up the best new indie music from the past seven days. This week we got the Japanese Breakfast’s massive new album Jubilee, the introduction to full-on ’80s-inspired John Mayer, and a new track from Chvrches featuring The Cure’s Robert Smith. Check out the rest of the best new indie music below.

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Japanese Breakfast – Jubilee

Michelle Zauner has had a massive 2021 so far, with the release of her debut memoir Crying In H Mart, and now her latest album as Japanese Breakfast. “Not only is [Jubilee] Zauner’s most accomplished album to date, it might very well be the best indie record of the year,” writes Steven Hyden for Uproxx.

Rostam – Changephobia

Four years after releasing his debut solo album, Rostam is back with his sophomore solo LP. On the breezy, experimental Changephobia, the former Vampire Weekend member “examines that which we can’t control, like the uncertainty of the future, speaks to necessary changes, like addressing the impending doom of climate change, and takes the future in stride,” writes Carolyn Droke for Uproxx.

John Mayer – “Last Train Home”

John Mayer has announced his next album will be called Sob Rock, and the first official preview of the album is the very ’80s-inspired “Last Train Home.” “The new song isn’t synth-driven, but definitely synth-supported,” writes Derrick Rossignol for Uproxx. “Take the bongos into account and it’s easy to draw similarities between ‘Last Train Home’ and Toto’s beloved hit ‘Africa.’”

Darkside – “Lawmaker”

After nearly eight years of silence, Darkside, the collaborative project of Nicolás Jaar and Dave Harrington, will be back later this summer with a brand new album called Spiral. “Lawmaker” is the latest taste of the forthcoming LP, which Derrick Rossignol describes for Uproxx as an “eerie new tune is driven by rhythmic guitar and bass, as well as some storytelling lyrics.”

Chvrches – “How Not To Drown” (ft. Robert Smith)

A few months ago, Chvrches returned to the spotlight with the new single “He Said She Said,” signaling the impending arrival of their fourth LP. Now, the band has officially announced the album, entitled Screen Violence, alongside a new single. “How Not To Drown” features guest vocals from The Cure’s Robert Smith, and the track “ventures into alternative rock territory, leaning on crashing snares and Smith’s languid vocal delivery,” writes Carolyn Droke for Uproxx.

Hurry – “Where You Go, I Go”

With their fourth full-length album Fake Ideas due later this month, Philadelphia power-pop quartet Hurry have shared the third and final single from the effort. “Where You Go, I Go” is another gorgeous, shimmering track that will make for a perfect soundtrack for driving down the highway with the windows rolled down this summer.

Career Woman – “Balcony”

Melody Caudill has been playing music since she was four years old, and you can tell. Caudill is only 17 today, yet Career Woman’s “Balcony” perfectly executes the slow build, opening with lo-fi guitar and vocals before introducing the full band for a master class in melody and personal songwriting.

Clinic – “Fine Dining”

Last year, Liverpool rock band Clinic broke a near decade-long silence with the new album Wheeltappers And Shunters. The outfit is showing no signs of hibernation again, as “Fine Dining” continues their streak of new music. The ethereal, electronic number is not currently attached to a full-length project, but don’t be surprised if an announcement is imminent.

Dead Tooth – “Hell Shack”

Zach James’ Dead Tooth project has existed in various forms for a few years now, but “Hell Shack” marks a shift in direction for the project. The Brooklyn outfit takes inspiration from post-punk and inspired by what James calls “a posthumous dinner party where Ian Curtis and Herman Hesse are swilling whiskey and cracking jokes,” and the driving, cinematic “Hell Shack” is an impressive first entry to Dead Tooth’s new era.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Indie singer-songwriter Lucy Dacus has released another incisive song from her third studio album, Home Video. “Brando” has the sound and scorch of a Highway 61-era Dylan. Instead of Dylan’s “Thin Man” leafing through F. Scott Fitzgerald, Dacus’s muse subscribes to the Criterion Collection. Over a dulcet, indie-folk arrangement, she turns his film references against him. “I’m laughing ’cause you think you’re Brando but you’ll never come close,” she sneers.

“‘Brando’ refers to a very dramatic friend I had in high school whose whole personality was the media he consumed,” Dacus said in a statement. “He showed me a lot of amazing movies and music, but I think he was more interested in using me as a scrapbook of his own tastes than actually getting to know me. He claimed to know me better than anyone else but I started to feel like all he wanted from me was to be a scene partner in the movie of his life.”

The Richmond, Virginia native broke out with her acclaimed 2016 debut, No Burden. In 2018, she co-founded Boygenius with fellow acclaimed singer-songwriters, Phoebe Bridgers and Julien Baker.

For a chance to be in the official music video for “Brando,” Dacus is asking for fans to send a video of themselves “dancing (or skateboarding, ice skating, roller-blading, etc.)” to https://lucydacus.com/brando. More details are available via the link.

Home Video arrives on June 25th via Matador. Preorder the album on Dacus’ website.

Gucci Mane’s label has suffered another blow after his artist Foogiano was sentenced to five years in prison for skipping bail last month. This time, it’s 21-year-old supernova Pooh Shiesty — aka Lontrell Williams — in the hot seat, according to The Miami Herald, which reports that Shiesty was arrested for aggravated battery in connection with a shooting at the Miami nightclub King Of Diamonds over Memorial Day weekend.

Complex‘s report on the arrest partially reconstructs the events in question, with social media video purportedly depicting the “Back In Blood” rapper at the club while the person apparently filming narrates. According to the clubgoer’s commentary, someone “took” Shiesty’s money, leading to a second clip in which the commenter loudly claims “Pooh Shiesty let off in a jacker’s b*tch ass” — meaning the rapper apparently shot at someone. The final clip does show someone who looks to be the rapper — although he’s wearing a ski mask, he was the focus of the prior videos — exiting the club holding something that certainly appears to be a handgun.

According to Miami Herald, the rapper did turn himself in on Tuesday. The Herald obtained an arrest warrant which said Shiesty shot a security guard in the leg.

Pooh Shiesty is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Fans of Cowboy Bebop got some exciting news Tuesday: They saw something like a first look at the cast of Netflix’s forthcoming adaptation. A short video released during “GeekWeek” shows stars John Cho, Daniella Pienda, and Mustafa Shakir propped in front of green screen, ready to bring the cult anime to live-action life. But that’s not what got people online so hot and bothered. What got people online so hot and bothered was John Cho’s incredible hair.

The Harold and Kumar and Star Trek vet is playing Spike Spiegel, one of the show’s three bounty hunters, who roam about the galaxy, hunting down ne’er-do-wells and malefactors. Some have complained that the pushing-50 Cho is a little too old to play the young-ish Spike. But absolutely no one was complaining about his wavy locks, which flop about his forehead, creating waves so epic they look like he could achieve flight.

Clearly Cho, whose ‘dos tend to be more conservative, spent part of quarantine, as some of us did, growing out his hair, or simply not cutting it, resulting in new and eye-popping looks. Whatever the case, he looks uncannily like the show’s Spike.

But most didn’t care if it’s accurate or not. They just dug his hair.

The live-action Cowboy Bebop show won’t premiere until fall, so hopefully Cho doesn’t cut it short before then.

The Late Show With Stephen Colbert (CBS, 11:30pm) — Clive Owen stops by, but more provocatively, Ziwe Fumudoh (who is headlining her own satiric Showtime series) comes by to either be interviewed or do the interviewing. No one can say how this will go down, but the former Desus & Mero writer uses comedy as a weapon to examine the hardest-hitting issues out there, including race, and she isn’t afraid to offend anyone.

Superman & Lois (CW, 9:00pm) — Sure, we’ve seen several incarnations of these title characters over the decades, but the CW’s here with one more shot. In this series, the pair struggles to stay under wraps, although this week, they team up with Chrissy in an effort to bring the significance of Smallville to light for a particularly interested party.

Cruel Summer (Freeform, 9:00pm) — This newish series goes down in the 1990s and follows the aftermath of a popular teen going missing. When a seemingly unrelated shy student suddenly becomes massively popular, well, things look pretty strange. This week, Kate’s secrets and memories of captivity rise to the surface.

The Flash (CW, 8:00pm) — Barry, Iris, and Caitlin struggle to digest the departure news of Cisco and Kamila, but a new version of Rainbow Raider arrives to disturb everything.

Mental Samurai (FOX 9:00pm) — Is Rob Lowe on every show now? Not quite, but Season 2 continues with Mr. Handsome welcoming contestants that include an Army veteran, medical lab scientist, and an animal activist.

Mr Inbetween (FX, 10:00 & 10:30pm) — This season, Ray’s life is looking different while Brittany is growing ever-closer to discovering who Ray really is and what he does, which is doing the hitman thing while holding onto his own strict ethical code and balancing his family life. Meanwhile, severing ties with Freddy complicates matters when a criminal kingpin makes Ray’s struggle feel even more intense. This week, the synopsis includes the following: “Curiosity rarely kills the cat but too many pharmaceuticals generally will.” Oh boy.

Late Night With Seth Meyers — Joel McHale, Bill Cowher, Carmen Christopher, Brenda Buckley

The Late Late Show With James Corden — Chelsea Handler, The Wallflowers

In case you missed these streaming picks:

Sweet Tooth: Season 1 (Netflix series) — Team Downey (Robert Jr. and Susan) brings us this awe-inspiring story based upon a comic-book by creator Jeff Lemire, who whipped up a post-apocalyptic fairytale about what happens when a great sickness (which is poorly dealt with by humans) ends with a miracle. In this case, this would be the appearance of “hybrids,” babies who are born half-human and half-animal, and we’ll meet a young deer-boy, Gus, (Christian Convery), who teams up with a reluctant protector, Tommy Jepperd (Nonso Anozie), for a cross-country quest. The comic has been described as “Mad Max Meets Bambi,” and Will Forte also plays a pivotal role. You’re in for a real (sweet) treat if you surrender to this adventure.

We Are Lady Parts: Season 1 (Peacock series) — A Muslim female post-punk band called Lady Parts looks for a lead guitarist in this subversive series, which follows the ups and downs of the group as they seek a real gig. A geeky, hard-sciences Ph.D. recruit named Amina Hussain ends up being the unlikely lucky lady to pick up the ax, and she’s soon swept up into the group’s anarchic energy. Naturally, Amina’s caught between two worlds, that of her conservative friends and the irresistible lure of the band’s joyful spirit. Together, they’re fearless, rowdy, and sexual and every ultra-religious family’s nightmare. As a show, it’s silly and irreverent and inspiring; for sure, you’ve never seen women like quite this on your TV screen.

First it was GameStop, then it was AMC, and now Wendy’s has been minted as the latest “meme stock” as 2021 continues to see day traders on Reddit boost the price of seemingly random companies. On Tuesday, shares of Wendy’s surged upward 25 percent as Reddit latched onto the stock for sound financial reasons… and also nonsensical internet reasons (the fast-food company sells chicken tenders a.k.a. “tendies” which is a Reddit trader slang for huge profits). It also didn’t hurt that the Wendy’s social media account routinely dunks on its competitors, which the social media savvy traders like. Via CNN:

“Frenzy+scarcity+low volume means minimal buys could push the price quickly,” the Reddit user wrote.

Other Reddit users noted that the Wendy’s social media team has a knack for dunking on McDonald’s (MCD) and other competitors on Twitter. That irreverence could help gain the company new investors as well.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the frenzy on Wendy’s stock continued to trend on social media:

However, Yahoo! Finance editor-at-large Brian Sozzi cautioned readers that this latest stock meme is a different animal than the recent runs on GameStop and AMC. For one thing, unlike the other meme stocks, Wendy’s shares are not being aggressively short sold. Only 4.64 percent of the company’s outstanding shares are being shorted. On top of that, the stock is just plain good to begin with and didn’t “rescuing” from Reddit day traders.

“The reason why Wall Street doesn’t hate Wendy’s is that unlike other meme stocks, Wendy’s is a fundamentally sound business that is growing,” Sozzi writes. Whether that information will matter now that the stock is already a social media favorite will be interesting to watch.

(Via CNN, Yahoo! Finance)

It’s June, which means it’s very much summer for most of the country. While nobody is going to tell you to stop sipping on your favorite barrel-aged stouts (if that’s what you’re into), this really is the time of year to fill your fridge with craft-brewed IPAs, pale ales, wheat beers, sours, and fruity gose-style beers for sipping on those long, hazy summer afteroons. But while the aforementioned styles are all gems this time of year, the classic pilsner is the season’s true MVP.

Seriously, how can you deny the classic, crisp flavor of a refreshing pilsner? When done right, it’s all freshly mowed lawns and fields of wildflowers. It’s also just citrus-forward enough and a welcome reminder when the heat is on that beer can be thirst-quenching — a feature that many summer styles have deviated drastically from.

Since we’re in the business of helping you find the beer that best suits your palate, we figured it was time for a blind taste test. This is the best way to get down to the basics of aroma, flavor, and crushability without the possibility of being swayed by flashy labels, awards-circuit cred, or well-known brand names. For this round, we selected eight pilsners — some American craft beers and others from the pilsner havens of Germany and the Czech Republic — and judged them based on taste alone.

Part 1: The Taste

Each and every pilsner we selected is fairly easy to find at your local grocery store (or online retailer). We blindly tasted and ranked each one to determine which is the best. Here are the brews we put to the test:

• Pilsner Urquell
• Creature Comforts Bibo
• Bitburger Pils
• Oskar Blues Mama’s Little Yella
• Jack’s Abby Post Shift
• Firestone Walker Pivo
• Jever Pilsener
• Victory Prima Pils

Let’s dig in and see what shook out!

Taste 1:

Tasting Notes:

I spent a longer amount of time than usual nosing this beer. There wasn’t a lot going on. There was a little citrus and lightly sweet malts, but that was it. It didn’t leave me very hopeful for the first sip. I was surprised to find the palate had a little more going on, with notes of resinous, piney, floral hops, and caramel malts.

Sadly, while crisp and refreshing, it was lacking the citrus element I prefer in a well-made pilsner.

Taste 2:

Tasting Notes:

This beer has a different nose than most pilsners. I noticed hints of wildflowers, fresh-cut grass, and a lot more hops than I expected to find. The flavor was more of the same. While there are some sweet malt flavors in the background, aggressively bitter hops end up taking center stage.

This is definitely not a beer for classic pilsner fans.

Taste 3:

Tasting Notes:

At first nosing, it almost seemed like I was breathing in the aromas of an IPA as opposed to a pilsner. There was distinct wet grass, citrus peels, and a lot more pine than I’d expect. Taking a sip led me to notes of sweet malts, but I was once again hit with resinous, piney, bitter hops.

While not a bad flavor, it’s not really what I’m looking for in a crushable pilsner. This feels more like an IPA.

Taste 4:

Tasting Notes:

The aromas present in this beer are classic pilsner. I noticed hints of sweet malts, citrus peels, and Noble hops. Sipping revealed flavors of wet grass, resinous pine, and sweet malts that all seemed with work unison. It’s crisp, clean, and has just a hint of hop bitterness at the very end.

Taste 5:

Tasting Notes:

The aroma is all Noble hops, lemon zest, and a note of caramel malts. Sipping this beer is similar to nosing it, but with more dominant malt flavors. The flavors of fresh-baked bread, sweet malts, and subtle, citrus hops are prevalent. Overall, it was a pretty decent pilsner.

While not something to complain about, I would have preferred a better ratio of malt to the citrus flavor. It was just a little breadier than I’d like in a classic pilsner.

Taste 6:

Tasting Notes:

Right away, I was struck with the intense floral and citrus hops on the nose. This was followed by a strong caramel malt presence. While there is some bitterness on the palate, it’s muted by flavors like fresh-cut flowers, citrus zest, and a healthy dose of sweet malts.

From my notes: “A very well-rounded beer that I’ll definitely come back to again this summer.”

Taste 7:

Tasting Notes:

For such a light beer in appearance, a lot was going on with its nose. Slightly dank to the sniff, I noticed a great deal of bready, sweet malts, floral Noble hops, and just a hint of peppery spice. The flavor is similar to the aromas, with a load of floral notes paired with citrus zest and a nice backbone of sweet malts.

Overall, this is a very well-rounded, highly drinkable beer.

Taste 8:

Tasting Notes:

Right off the bat, I noticed a symphony of smells emanating from this beer. Fresh wildflowers, subtle herbs, sweet malts, and a load of Noble hops. The palate is heavy on fresh citrus, floral hops and wet grass, with just a hint of bitterness at the very end.

Part 2: The Ranking

8. Jever Pilsner — Taste 2

ABV: 4.9%

Average Price: $10.99 (six-pack)

The Beer:

Jever Pilsner is known for its unique, slightly bitter flavor. The brewers claim this comes from the water used in the brewing process. Procured from the same well for more than 100 years, this soft water along with more hops than most pilsners utilize gives this an extra-crisp, surprisingly bitter flavor that not all pilsner fans are prepared for.

Bottom Line:

First, I’m going to say that I didn’t hate this beer. It’s just that it’s too bitter for a pilsner in my opinion. I understand that’s the point and it has history on its side, it’s just not for me.

7. Oskar Blues Mama’s Little Yella — Taste 1

ABV: 4.7%

Average Price: $9.99 (six-pack)

The Beer:

Made in the style of Bohemian and Bavarian pilsners, Oskar Blues Mama’s Little Yella is loaded with Saaz and Aramis hops as well as pilsner and honey malts. The result is a 4.7 percent ABV beer that was created for one reason alone: to be a refreshing break on a hot, sunny, hazy day.

Bottom Line:

Even though this finished almost in the last place, it’s not a bad beer. It’s just the kind of beer you’ll crush on a hot day because there aren’t too many flavors you’re going to spend any time savoring.

6. Victory Prima Pils — Taste 3

ABV: 5.3%

Average Price: $10.99 (six-pack)

The Beer:

Victory Prima Pils has the authentic taste of Europe in an American craft beer, making it feel like a classic. The pills is made using Tettnang, Hallertau, Saaz, and Spalt hops as well as European malts. Drinking this floral, crisp, hopper beer will transport you to a German beer garden on a hot, summery day.

Bottom Line:

This (and every other beer on this list) isn’t remotely bad. In fact, it’s a really good beer. It’s just that, after tasting it I felt like this beer would appeal more to IPA drinkers than classic pilsner fans.

5. Jack’s Abby Post Shift — Taste 5

ABV: 4.7%

Average Price: $10.50 (four-pack, 16-oz. cans)

The Beer:

Jack’s Abby Post Shift is a highly crushable, low-ABV beer that lives up to its name. Brewed with Bavarian malts and hops, this is the kind of beer you want to drink after a long day of working with your hands, sitting in a cubicle, or typing articles like this in your basement man cave.

Bottom Line:

As a fan of this beer, I expected it to land much higher on this list. But, upon returning to it again, I understood why it landed where it did. While I’d never want to change the recipe, it just doesn’t have as much citrus zing as it needed to fall higher on this list.

4. Creature Comforts Bibo — Taste 6

ABV: 4.9%

Average Price: $11 (six-pack)

The Beer:

Athens, Georgia’s Creature Comforts created Bibo to be a crushable, crisp, easy-to-drink pilsner and they definitely accomplished this. It’s brewed with a base of Czech Saaz and German Huell Melon hops bringing flavors of the two most well-known pilsner countries together in one American craft beer.

Bottom Line:

This was the first time I ever had this beer and I didn’t know where it would land on the list. I was pleasantly surprised by the balance and crushability on display. Fans of classic Czech-style pilsners will enjoy this one.

3. Bitburger Premium Pils — Taste 7

ABV: 4.8%

Average Price: $11 (six-pack)

The Beer:

One of the most popular beers in Germany, Bitburger Premium Pils is as classic as beer gets. Brewed for more than 200 years, it’s renowned for its crisp, clean flavor. Made with four simple ingredients (water, yeast, barley malt hops, and hop extract), it’s the kind of beer you’ll want to stock up on for the hot summer to come.

Bottom Line:

I recently began drinking this beer regularly and hoped it would land high on this list. I was happy to see it finish where it did. It’s perfectly balanced, light, and well-suited for summery weather.

2. Firestone Walker Pivo — Taste 4

ABV: 5.3%

Average Price: $10.49 (six-pack)

The Beer:

It might be a little unfair to add this beer to this list since it’s a little different from your usual pilsner, but I don’t care. Brewed with Pilsner and Carafoam malts as well as Spalter Select, Tradition, and Saphir hops, this beer gets an added kick by being dry-hopped with more Saphir hops.

Bottom Line:

I wasn’t surprised to find this hoppy pilsner so high on the list. While I don’t usually prefer overly hoppy pilsners, the bitterness is fairly low on this beer. This makes for a highly sippable spring and summer beer.

1. Pilsner Urquell — Taste 8

ABV: 4.4%

Average Price: $9.99 (six-pack)

The Beer:

When it comes to pilsner blind taste tests, you can’t leave off the most renowned (and beloved) version in the world. Pilsner Urquell was the first mass-produced pilsner, dating all the way back to 1842. Still brewed using traditional methods, this crisp, clean, crushable pilsner has stood the test of time.

Bottom Line:

It’s no surprise that this pilsner took the top spot. It’s clean, fresh, and utterly thirst-quenching. In fact, if I needed to grab a beer after an afternoon of lawn-mowing, I can’t think of a beer I’d rather sip on.

As a Drizly affiliate, Uproxx may receive a commission pursuant to certain items on this list.

Candace Parker is expected to return for the Chicago Sky against the Indiana Fever on Wednesday, as coach James Wade finally had a positive update on the star forward’s status during his Tuesday media availability per the Chicago Sun-Times’ Annie Costabile.

That’s great news for a team that’s lost seven straight games and plummeted to 11th place in a 12-team league. Parker injured her ankle before the team’s second game of the season on May 19 and hasn’t played since. She posted pictures of her severely bruised foot ahead of the team’s home-opener, which was a heavily anticipated event for more reasons than usual. The WNBA champion and five-time All-Star chose to play closer to home in Naperville, Illinois in free agency after 13 years with the Los Angeles Sparks.

The team has since posted pictures of her back in practice, and Parker’s shared videos of rehab she’s done over the last few weeks on Instagram. She looks ready to make her home debut a few weeks later than we originally thought.

https://twitter.com/chicagosky/status/1402337737596882945

Injuries have dictated the start of the Sky’s season as the team’s big 4 of Parker, Courtney Vandersloot, Allie Quigley, and Diamond DeShields haven’t played a single game together. But even since Quigley’s return, the team has lost to the Phoenix Mercury, who were without Diana Taurasi, and the Los Angeles Sparks, who were without Nneka and Chiney Ogwumike. Put simply, they’re slumping.

Through nine games in a 32-game regular season, the team is 2-7, including a buzzer-beating halfcourt heartbreaker of loss, with a negative net rating as they are being outscored by 2.5 points per 100 possessions. Parker should be the difference-maker though, if she’s fully recovered. In the team’s season-opener against the Mystics, she commanded the floor, scoring 16 points on 10 field goal attempts with three 3-pointers, eight rebounds, and four assists.

The season’s still young, but the window is getting tighter for the Sky to earn a top-2 seed in the playoffs. The two top spots are strongly coveted in the WNBA playoffs as the only way to avoid playing in a single-elimination game, and they’ll need the future Hall of Famer to kick off a big run if they’re to get into that mix.