May the force be with… Chicago Sky? Lot of those vibes descended on Wintrust Arena when Angel Reese-less squad took on the Golden State Valkyries. No, they weren’t hitting basketballs with lightsabers no matter how fantastic that would be. It was a regular basketball game with unusual celebrity attendance. George Lucas and his wife, Mellody Hobson, were seated courtside at this game. Normal? Not? This is not Hollywood or the Big Apple, where celebrity basketball fans are a common occurrence. So fans read too much into this billion-dollar presence.

The Chicago Sky hosted the Golden State Valkyries on Friday night with not much fanfare. Angel Reese missed her eighth straight game because of a back injury. The shorthanded Sky suffered a blowout 59-90 loss with her. Watching the Sky’s disappointment was the titan of the biggest pop culture movement ever, George Lucas.

Ownership speculations swirl with George Lucas’ presence

Usually, a game like this won’t draw celebrity attention. Last year, Reese’s last matchup with Caitlin Clark was the most top-billed game of the arena. Shaquille O’Neal attended and picked this game to launch Reebok’s newest shoe because of the eyeballs just on this game. However, both stars are injured right now, and this game isn’t that blockbuster quality. For Lucas and his wife to be here, fans assumed he’s keenly interested in WNBA team ownership. Particularly, the home team.

He can afford it too. Forbes values his net worth at $5.3 billion, though some figures put him at $9 billion. The Chicago Sky, once an $85 million franchise when NBA legend Dwyane Wade bought a minority stake in it, skyrocketed to $240 million with the addition of Angel Reese in 2024. The WNBA is a growing product, too, with plenty of investment potential.

The moment fans realized the Star Wars mogul and his wife are in the stands, online speculation blew up to galactic proportions. One fan wrote, “TOTAL SPECULATION but what if they were interested in buying the team? We could be the Chicago Skywalkers.” Corny as that name is, it grew on us.

Of course it could also mean nothing at the same time. Lucas is not spotted at WNBA games often. But he could be just enjoying one this time without looking for a business opportunity. However, his wife? There are quite a few connections suggesting an investment possibility there.

A WNBA ’empire’ on the horizon?

George Lucas’ wife, Mellody Hobson is Chicago born-and-raised, even lived through the Bulls dynasty in the city. While she and the filmmaker reside in California, they also own a luxurious residence in Chi-town, that’s how frequently they’re around. It’s relevant to Hobson’s job as the co-CEO of the Chicago-based investment firm, Ariel Investments. That’s where the Sky ties come in.

The founder of Ariel Investments, John Rogers, a former basketball player at Princeton, is big on women’s sports. Along with establishing a women’s sports fund, Project Level, with Hobson front and center, he personally invested in the Chicago Sky when the team first arrived in 2005. As of 2025, he still owns a stake in the team.

Hobson doesn’t have a direct connection or stake in Sky. However, a week ago she was speaking about the stark difference in the Lakers’ $10 billion sale and the Connecticut Sun’s $325 million at the Bloomberg Invest summit. She’s spearheading Ariel’s investment efforts into women’s sports, starting with soccer and volleyball with potential for basketball.

We might not get George Lucas, the absolute WNBA team Jedi Master (which means bye-bye Chicago Skywalkers). But he could support his powerhouse of a wife in the business. Hobson made history as one of the first black owners in the NFL through the Denver Broncos. She’s now set her sights on the WNBA.

As per NY Times, she’s brought in the expertise of Jason Wright, the former president of the Washington Commanders before Magic Johnson bought it. Wright grew up a Sparks fan and wanted to get into the WNBA. They’re brainstorming fundraising ideas to grow Project Level for a WNBA investment. Which team will benefit or will it be a league-wide investment remains to be seen. But if Rogers brings Hobson in the Sky fold, the team’s fortunes could change.

For now, this remains a tale of two billionaires and a sports team. But if the rumors are true, the Chicago Sky could be on the verge of a new hope.