The Chicago Sky will take center stage in one of the most highly anticipated drafts in the history of the WNBA on Monday night.
After a series of trades — including a deal with the Phoenix Mercury for former star Kahleah Copper – the Chicago Sky hold the No. 3, No. 8 and No. 13 picks. The No. 3 and No. 8 picks are both in the first round, while No. 13 is the first pick in the second round.
The draft will take place in Brooklyn at 6:30 p.m. on Monday with a live broadcast on ESPN. The Indiana Fever won the No. 1 pick in the draft lottery and are expected to select Iowa star Caitlin Clark.
Tribune writers Shakeia Taylor and Julia Poe provide their predictions for who the Sky should draft.
No. 3 pick
Shakeia Taylor: Rickea Jackson, forward, Tennessee
Rickea Jackson is WNBA ready in a lot of ways. She averaged 20.2 points and 8.2 rebounds per game in one of the toughest conferences in women’s college basketball and is willing to make plays when the ball is in her hands. Jackson has a great midrange game and will add value to the Sky immediately. The Detroit native would be a great cultural fit, so adjusting to Chicago should be no problem. And with new coach Teresa Weatherspoon, it would be interesting to see how Jackson’s game can develop further.
Julia Poe: Kamilla Cardoso, center, South Carolina
Jackson is the automatic pick if the Sky are looking to select a league-ready forward who will pick up as a WNBA rookie where she left off as a senior in college. If the Sky want more of a project, however, Kamilla Cardoso made a strong case as the lead star of South Carolina on the way to an NCAA title.
At 6-foot-7, Cardoso’s physical profile is unmatched in this draft class. She averaged 2.5 blocks per game her senior season and tallied 16.6 points and 10.8 rebounds across five tournament games on the way to winning Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four. Cardoso still has a lot of improvement to make on the offensive side of the ball – which is why she could thrive under Weatherspoon and general manager Jeff Pagliocca, both of whom come from player development backgrounds.
No. 8 pick
Taylor: Alissa Pili, forward, Utah
Alissa Pili is an undersized post, but she is damn near unstoppable once she gets positioning. She can play inside out and has a pretty nice three ball. Pili averaged 21.4 points per game this season and shot 40.4% from 3-point range. Defensively, Pili’s game has questions that could be answered by a defensive-minded coach. With no real expectations for the Sky this season, there’s an opportunity to help Pili become a player of the future.
Poe: Angel Reese, forward, LSU
Despite LSU’s early exit in the Elite Eight, Angel Reese showcased she can compete on the boards on both ends of the court, finishing second in the NCAA in rebounding with 13.4 rebounds per game. Reese will need to develop her jump shot and prove that she can offensively keep up with top-level frontcourt players in the post. But that presence on the boards would benefit the Sky immediately while she builds her offensive game in the WNBA.
Similar to Cardoso, I love the idea of Reese getting the chance to develop under Weatherspoon and Pagliocca without the pressure of immediate results. This is a bit of a high-risk, high-reward first-round strategy, but the immediate draw of Reese – who has become a household name for basketball fans – would be an off-setting argument for any concerns about how her game would translate as a rookie.
No. 13 pick
Taylor: Jacy Sheldon, guard, Ohio State
If she doesn’t go in the first round, Jacy Sheldon would be a great system fit for the Sky. She’s quick, a shooter and plays decent defense. Sheldon averaged 17.8 points on 50-38-85 splits, 3.8 assists and 1.9 steals this season. A multiple-year All-American and All-Big Ten selection, Sheldon is one of the top guards in the nation and can provide value both on and off the ball.
Poe: Nika Mühl, guard, Connecticut
While Nika Mühl’s statistics don’t jump off the page next to star teammates like Paige Bueckers and Aaliyah Edwards, her presence was felt throughout her senior season with Connecticut. Mühl played all 40 minutes of Connecticut’s final three games of the NCAA Tournament, averaging three steals and 2.3 fouls in those games. Her defensive discipline was a deciding factor in Connecticut’s win over USC while her seven assists per game throughout the tournament anchored the Huskies on offense.
In many ways, this is the pick I would make to balance out passing over Sheldon — a similarly tough, team-oriented two-way guard – to take Reese at No. 8. Mühl is not the same caliber of shot-maker as Sheldon, but she’s a skilled facilitator whose 3-point shooting jumped to 40.2% in her senior year. There are a couple of teams who would be smart to snap up Mühl before the end of the first round (I’m looking at you, New York Liberty), but if she falls into the second round, the Sky should take full advantage.
