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Sydney Taylor’s Cold-Blooded Dagger 3 Stuns Aces Late
Undrafted Rookie Sydney Taylor Hits Miracle Shot to Stun Champion Aces
The Moment Everyone Will Remember
Picture this: 0.9 seconds left on the clock, your team is down by two points, and the defending champions have the best player in the world on their side. The arena is loud. Your heart is pounding.
Then—SWISH.
A 24-foot three-pointer. Game over. Chicago Sky wins 84-83.
That’s exactly what happened on Saturday at Wintrust Arena when Sydney Taylor, an undrafted rookie who was playing in Poland just five months ago, became an instant legend.
IMPORTANT POINT
Sydney Taylor is the first rookie in Chicago Sky history to hit a go-ahead 3-pointer in the final five seconds of a game to beat the defending champions. And she wasn’t even drafted!
Who Is Sydney Taylor?
- Undrafted rookie – Not picked in the 2026 WNBA Draft
- Five months ago – Playing professional basketball in Poland
- Now – Starting guard for the Chicago Sky
- Saturday – Scored 29 points, including the biggest shot of her life
- Season stats – Fifth 25+ point game this year
MIND-BLOWING FACT: All other undrafted rookies in WNBA history combined have five 25-point games total. Sydney has five by herself this season.
How the Final 10 Seconds Unfolded
Here’s the play-by-play of the wildest finish of the year:
- Score tied 81-81 – Sky run a play for Taylor → she misses a floater with 7.6 seconds left
- A’ja Wilson (4x MVP) drives and scores → Aces lead 83-81 with 3.2 seconds left
- Sky call timeout – Coach Tyler Marsh draws up a play he saved from 2022 Aces practice
- Inbounds pass → Taylor comes off a screen → catches and shoots from 24 feet out
- BANG. Ball goes in with 0.9 seconds left
- Teammate Natasha Cloud starts celebrating before the game ends (oops!)
- Fans go bonkers – Chants of "Syd-ney! Syd-ney! Syd-ney!" echo through the arena
Why This Win Matters So Much
The Sky’s Heartbreaking Season
- Record: 11-18 (below .500)
- 11 losses by 8 points or less
- Last 3 losses – by 5 points or less combined
- Two games before All-Star break – lost to Dream & Liberty by 3 points total
The Turning Point
Coach Marsh said they spent post-All-Star practices obsessing over late-game situations.
Veteran Natasha Cloud admitted: "First half was ugly and painful… but we stayed the course."
Trust Earned
- Taylor wasn’t a starter at season start
- Rickea Jackson (projected starter) tore ACL → door opened
- Taylor averaged 18.4 points as starter, 21.3 in last 6 games
- Coach Marsh: "She has the green light. She’s built for these moments."
The Aces’ Side: Greatness in a Losing Effort
| Player | Stats | Note |
|---|---|---|
| A’ja Wilson | 36 pts, 12 reb, 4 ast | 105th career 20/10 game (2nd all-time) |
| Jackie Young | 18 pts, 11 reb, 5 ast | Double-double in loss |
- Wilson hit the go-ahead bucket with 3.2 seconds left
- She tried to defend Taylor on the final play but couldn’t get there in time
- Coach Becky Hammon’s old play (from 2022 practice) was used against her team by former assistant Tyler Marsh
What This Means for the Future
Taylor is now "the closer" – Coach trusts her with 27 shots in a game
Sky found their identity – Winning close games they used to lose
Fans have hope – Arena officials literally had to kick people out after the game
Undrafted ≠ Undervalued – Taylor proves opportunity + preparation = magic
Summary
Sydney Taylor, an undrafted rookie playing in Poland five months ago, hit a game-winning 3-pointer with 0.9 seconds left to beat the defending champion Las Vegas Aces 84-83. She finished with 29 points—her fifth 25+ point game this season (more than all other undrafted rookies in WNBA history combined). The win snapped a string of heartbreaking losses for the 11-18 Chicago Sky and validated Coach Tyler Marsh’s trust in Taylor, who has earned a starting role and "green light" to shoot. The final play was designed by Marsh during his time as an Aces assistant. Fans stormed the court in celebration, and the Sky finally turned a "almost" into a "W."
FAQ
Was Sydney Taylor really not drafted?
Yes! She went unpicked in the 2026 WNBA Draft and was playing in Poland before signing with the Sky.
How rare is a rookie hitting a shot like that?
Extremely rare. She’s the first rookie in Sky franchise history to hit a go-ahead 3 in the final 5 seconds to win.
Why did the coach run a play from his old team?
Coach Tyler Marsh was an assistant for the Aces for 3 seasons. He saved a play from a 2022 Becky Hammon practice and used it perfectly against his former team.
Is Sydney Taylor going to stay a starter?
Almost certainly. Coach Marsh said: "We see her as part of the future of the Sky long term." She’s averaged 21.3 points in her last 6 games.
What does this win do for the Sky’s season?
They’re still 11-18, but they’ve now won a game they used to lose. It proves they can execute under pressure—a huge mental shift for a young team.
