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Chicago Sky GM's Official Statement on WNBA Draft Decision

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Angelo Guinhawa | Last updated Apr 15, 2026 7:28 AM ET

After trading All-Star forward Angel Reese and acquiring two first-round picks in the process, the Chicago Sky overhauled their roster in both free agency and the WNBA draft.

Chicago signed Azura Stevens, Skylar Diggins and DiJonai Carrington in free agency and brought back the likes of Rachel Banham, Elizabeth Williams and Courtney Vandersloot. The team also traded for rising star Rickea Jackson, sending Ariel Atkins to the Los Angeles Sparks in the deal.

Jacy Sheldon also joined Chicago via trade from the Washington Mystics. Sheldon was the fifth overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft.

While the Sky also lost Kia Nurse, Rebecca Allen and Michaela Onyenwere, there is still plenty of optimism surrounding the team with the changes they made.

Another key offseason addition the Sky made was during the draft when they used the No. 5 pick to select UCLA guard Gabriela Jaquez.

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert with Gabriela Jaquez, who was selected 5th overall by the Chicago Sky in 2026 DraftBrad Penner-Imagn Images

Jaquez helped the UCLA Bruins win the 2026 National Championship. She recorded a game-high 21 points, along with 10 rebounds and five assists, to propel the Bruins to a 79-51 victory over the South Carolina Gamecocks.

The 22-year-old averaged 13.5 points on 53.9% shooting, 5.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.1 steals in her final season with UCLA.

Clearly, the Sky were high on Jaquez, with Chicago General Manager Jeff Pagliocca emphasizing that she perfectly "fits" their vision for the team.

"Jaquez is a battle-tested three-level scorer who improved every year in college," Pagliocca said in a statement following Jaquez's selection.

"Combine her on-skill talent with the fact that she’s a proven winner, and you have a player that perfectly fits the Sky’s vision."

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It remains to be seen how big of a role Jaquez will have with the Sky in her first season in the WNBA and whether she can make a winning impact on the franchise from the get-go.

The Sky have missed the playoffs in each of the past two seasons, with the team even failing to win at least 15 games in either of those campaigns.

Sure enough, though, their roster revamp and the arrival of a proven winner in Jaquez should raise hopes that things will change for the better for Chicago.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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