“By 2021, I knew I was close to retirement.” Allie Quigley wrote in her recently released Players Tribune, but she hung on after being a part of a title-winning Chicago Sky squad that year. Quigley decided to play till she was out of any fuel, and that moment came in 2023, when she decided to take a break and skip the 2023 season.

That extended to 2024 and then 2025. Quigley took a backseat from the WNBA after a storied career for the Chicago Sky. While she took a break in 2023, Vandersloot also followed her out of Chicago as she signed for the New York Liberty as a free agent. Ever since, she has been behind the scenes while Vandersloot earned another all-star selection in 2023.

Quigley has finally dropped her official retirement announcement as the Chicago Sky legend bows out of the WNBA in a silent goodbye. While she was essentially considered retired, the 14-year veteran still had not made it official. She bounced around a few franchises in her early part of her career, playing for the Phoenix Mercury, Indiana Fever, and Seattle Storm. She finally settled at the Chicago Sky and became a franchise legend while winning the only title in their history. 

In her 10 seasons at Sky, she averaged 11.9 points, 2.2 assists while averaging almost 40% from beyond the arc. The sharpshooter was known for her long-range shot, winning the WNBA 3-point contest four times. In her retirement announcement, the three-time All-Star delivered a strong message to the WNBA

“And lastly … Thank you to the WNBA…,” Quigley wrote.”There’s ‘after, ‘ when I was a kid who dreamed of making it to the WNBA. And in that sense, I kind of feel like I’m part of this unique generation of players. Where we’re the last generation who can remember a time when there wasn’t a W. Or to put it another (better) way: We’re the last generation who will ever have to remember a time when there wasn’t a W. I’m so proud of that.”

Her spouse, Courtney Vandersloot, who is still playing in the WNBA and is back at the franchise where the couple played together for 9 years, had a simple four-word message regarding Quigley’s retirement. She wrote, “ The Best There is!!!” while reposting the announcement on Players Tribune on her Instagram Stories.

Courtney Vandersloot and Allie Quigley recently celebrated the arrival of their first child, a daughter named Jana Christine Vandersloot Quigley, born on April 8, as reported by People magazine. The couple, who married in 2018, first met on a flight home from Slovakia following the 2012–2013 EuroLeague season.

The growing family shared a heartwarming moment when Vandersloot broke Quigley’s all-time scoring record for the Chicago Sky. In a win over the Dallas Wings, Vandersloot scored 13 points, bringing her career total with the franchise to 3,728 points on 1,390 field goals, surpassing Quigley’s previous record of 3,273 points on 1,386 field goals. Quigley and their two-month-old daughter were in the crowd to witness the milestone.

However, that joy was soon tempered. Within days, Vandersloot suffered a season-ending ACL injury during a game against the Indiana Fever at the United Center. Once again serving as captain of the Sky, Vandersloot had been central to the team’s efforts to rebuild and compete following a turbulent 2024 season. The timing of the injury cast a bittersweet tone over the retirement announcement of Quigley.

Will Courtney Vandersloot Retire Soon?

Vandersloot was supposed to be an experienced point guard who elevated Angel Reese and Co. She returned to her former franchise carrying hope. It hasn’t worked out that way, and it became worse for Sloot and Sky as she went down with a knee injury in Chicago’s 79-52 loss to the Indiana Fever and immediately looked to be in immense pain.

The team then announced Sunday that she suffered a torn ACL and will miss the rest of the season. She will be a huge miss for the team, being one of the three people averaging more than 10 points per game and a stabilizing presence at the point. The 36-year-old guard has been one of Chicago’s top players this season, averaging 10.6 points and 5.3 assists per game.

An ACL tear is one of the most devastating injuries an athlete can experience, regardless of the stage in their career. At 36 years old, Courtney Vandersloot faces an even more difficult road to recovery. She is currently the third-oldest player in the WNBA, with only Alysha Clark and DeWanna Bonner being older. Historically, very few players have returned quite the same after an ACL injury, especially at this age, which naturally raises the question of whether Vandersloot will choose to return next season.

The WNBA has seen several players retire following season-ending injuries. Rebecca Lobo, for example, had an injury-ridden seven-year career and retired at the age of 29 after suffering two ACL tears in her left knee within 6 months. She was never able to return to her former level of performance. Similarly, Shanna Zolman retired at age 29 after dealing with multiple ACL injuries. Vandersloot is significantly older than both of them and has already accomplished more than most.

She is a two-time WNBA champion and a five-time All-Star, widely regarded as one of the most skilled point guards in the league’s history. Recently, she and her wife, Allie Quigley, welcomed their first child. Quigley has stepped away from the game, and her retirement, combined with the transition into parenthood, could influence Vandersloot’s perspective on continuing her career. Given everything she has achieved, this injury may not just mark the end of a season, but potentially the close of a remarkable career.