The Chicago Sky’s top draft pick might not play in the WNBA this season — but the front office isn’t worried about the timeline of the 19-year-old Slovenian they selected No. 10 in Monday’s draft.
General manager Jeff Pagliocca couldn’t be higher on Ajša Sivka. He didn’t expect her to be available toward the end of the first round of the draft — after all, it’s not exactly common to find a 6-foot-4 forward with the fluid perimeter shot and on-ball creativity of a guard.
Pagliocca believes Sivka will be an “outlier” talent. But he also can’t guarantee that Sivka will play in the WNBA this season.
“There will be ongoing conversations,” Pagliocca said. “We drafted her because we want her to play here, so hopefully sooner rather than later, because she’s got a chance to be special.”
It’s not uncommon for European players to defer their move to the WNBA, waiting years after their draft selection to actually come to the United States — if they come at all. Often, this is due to a lack of communication when teams make selections without ever discussing with players their interest in the WNBA.
For instance, German forward Leonie Fiebich was selected by the Los Angeles Sparks in 2020 and her draft rights were traded to the Sky in 2021. But she never actually signed with a WNBA team until last February, when her rights were traded to the New York Liberty. At the time, Fiebich said she had never spoken to anyone from the Sparks or the Sky despite the selection and transfer of her draft rights.
This situation is different. Pagliocca said the Sky had “a lot of really good conversations” with Sivka leading up to the draft which encouraged him about her intentions to play in the WNBA if she was drafted. And on draft night, Sivka, who was present in New York at the event, voiced her own enthusiasm about transitioning to the league and building a future with the Sky.
“I’m just really excited to play with all these great players like Angel Reese,” Sivka said. “I can’t wait to start.”
One major obstacle stands between Sivka and the WNBA this season: FIBA Women’s Eurobasket.
Beyond salary caps and the different style of play, international commitments are typically the main reason that European players decline to participate in the WNBA — and Eurobasket is at the heart of this conflict. Taking place every two years, the tournament represents the pinnacle of international competition in Europe.
Sivka previously represented Slovenia at the 2023 iteration of the tournament, where she was the youngest player in the competition at age 17. She started for Slovenia in the Eurobasket qualifiers earlier this year, and the team won their group with five wins.
Slovenia’s first game of the group phase is scheduled for June 18 in Bologna, Italy, and the tournament will conclude on June 29 in Piraeus, Greece. Many teams call players into extensive tune-up camps to prepare ahead of Eurobasket. This commitment would limit Sivka’s ability to report to Chicago until midway through the WNBA season.
Chicago Sky pick Ajša Sivka and Hailey Van Lith in the 1st round of the WNBA draft
In 2020, the WNBA implemented a prioritization rule that requires players to report to camp by May 1 or face potential fines and suspensions. But this rule does not apply to players until after their second year in the league, which means Sivka will not face any penalties if she doesn’t report to Chicago until after Eurobasket.
That means the Sky have flexibility as they navigate the upcoming season with Sivka. The front office is exploring different options, which could include allowing her to defer her rookie season to 2026.
But the bottom line remains the same: Pagliocca and the Sky believe Sivka is a foundational piece for the Sky, regardless of when she finally makes her WNBA debut.
“Imagine that girl two, three, four years from now — how special she might be,” Pagliocca said. “We think she’s great. We think there’s not a lot of her. Players at that size that can shoot the ball, you always want them around. In our league, shooting defines a lot of success. So yeah, that’s a player we want to keep here forever.”
