Why Sky Must Sign and Draft Point Guards
Assuming the Chicago Sky does not move on from the pair of 2024 WNBA Draft selections, they are set at the power forward and center positions. Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso are under contract through the 2026 season, with options for another season after that.
Hailey Van Lith and Maddy Westbeld are about to enter the second year of their rookie contracts. They both options for the 2028 WNBA season should Chicago pick either one, or both, up.
Everyone else from the Sky is a free agent. Forward Michaela Onyenwere has already announced her plans to leave both the team and the league. She is returning to her alma mater, UCLA, to coach the Lady Bruins.
Ball goes that way 🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/hiuydQbSIB
— Its_Just_Basketball (@Fever_Rising_) September 5, 2025
Veteran point guard Courtney Vandersloot has publicly stated her interest in returning to the Sky for the 2026 WNBA season. Vandersloot will turn 37 before next season even starts and is also still recovering from an ACL tear she suffered early on during the Sky's season.
Outside of the aging two-time WNBA champion point guard being on her last legs in the league, here are two reasons why the Sky must prioritize adding a star point guard this offseason.
1. Assists weren't as plentiful as their rebounding.
Chicago was near the top of the league for the second year in a row in regard to rebounds. In 2024, the Sky posted 36.6 rebounds, tied for best in the WNBA with the eventual champions that year, the New York Liberty. The WNBA's leading rebounder in 2025 was Reese, helping Chicago to the second-highest average in the league this year with 35.6 rebounds.
However, even with Vandersloot averaging 5.3 assists before she went down after seven games, the Sky only averaged 19.3 assists per game. That mark was fourth-worst in the WNBA out of the 13 teams. Chicago's average of 19.0 per game in 2024 was even lower for the second-worst in the league.
Whether it be through free agency or the 2026 WNBA Draft (or both), Chicago needs a point guard. Even if Vandersloot comes back for another season with the Sky, they need to invest in a playmaker for the future to play alongside Reese and Cardoso.
2. Turnovers aren't so sweet (unless they're for dessert).
The team with the lowest turnover average committed only 10.8 per game. That average belonged to the 2025 WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces.
Chicago averaged a league-high 15.6 turnovers per game this past season. That is a downgrade from their 13.1 turnover average in 2024. Firing Teresa Weatherspoon and replacing her with Tyler Marsh didn't resolve the issue.
Cardoso and Ariel Atkins combined to average nearly five turnovers a game in 2025. Two-time WNBA All-Star Reese averaged even more with 3.9 alone. That's almost double her 2024 average of 2.2 turnovers per game.
Free agency for the league starts in mid-January. Players won't be able to negotiate until January 21 while contracts can't be officially signed until February 1.
The 2026 WNBA Draft will take place after the NCAA Women's Tournament in April. While there isn't a date set in stone for it yet, the Sky have their calendars ready for one.
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My name is Scott Conrad and I am a Contributor for the Chicago Sky with Sports Illustrated.com. I am also a Contributor with FanSided on NinerNoise, as well as Da Windy City. In addition, I am the Site Editor/Expert for The View from Avalon. I spent two seasons (2015 & 2016) with the Tampa Bay Times as a Correspondent covering high school football. I am a two-time published author with more work to come. In my teenage years, I started watching both MLS and WNBA start in 1996 and grow to be the juggernauts they are in their respective sports. Much love to the career on and off the court for fellow-Napervillian and former Sky forward Candace Parker. Outside of the sports journalism world, I am a travel volleyball coach. I accepted the Head Coach position with Greater Cincinnati Volleyball Club for their U13-2 team. In terms of active sports, I play volleyball, soccer, softball, kickball and train in mixed martial arts.