CHICAGO — After receiving the No. 3 pick in the WNBA draft lottery on Sunday, the Chicago Sky is laying out a clear road map for next spring’s draft.
The Sky have two major roster needs this offseason: adding efficient shooters after finishing last in the league in 3-point production and improving at the point to run the offense more effectively.
After drafting Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese last year – and re-signing veteran center Elizabeth Williams – the Sky don’t need another big. That excludes players such as USC’s Kiki Iriafen and UCLA’s Lauren Betts, both of whom are expected to make it in the first round.
As he sorts through a stacked class of guards and wings, general manager Jeff Pagliocca emphasized shooting as his main focus for the draft. Although Sky needs to acquire a point guard, they are hesitant to expect a rookie to run the offense right out of college, potentially turning to free agency to fill that role.
“It takes time to understand schemes, plays, coverages and pick-and-rolls in our league,” Pagliocca said Sunday. “It’s the adjustment that takes time into the role.”
In addition to shooting, Pagliocca pointed to length as another key factor in evaluating the best pick for the Sky. He would prefer not to draft a guard shorter than 6 feet and prefers wings to be at least 6-1 and upwards toward 6-3.
While players who are just a few inches under 6 feet may occupy a gray area, this criteria effectively eliminates highly rated point guards such as Kentucky’s Georgia Amoore and Texas’ Rori Harmon, both of whom are 5- 6.
“It’s a critical factor if you can really dominate at your position,” Pagliocca said. “Obviously, small guards can still have a lot of success in our league, but realistically you’re looking for size. Especially at the guard and wing positions, if you can find some length there, it will be a big factor in our league.
With those parameters in mind, here are eight players for Sky fans to keep an eye on during the college season – including options for the No. 3, No. 10 and No. 19 picks.
Setting up the mold
These two guards meet all of Pagliocca’s specifications while ranking among the top prospects in the 2025 draft.
Sonia Lemon
Notre Dame shooting guard, 6-1
Citron is a career 36.2% 3-point shooter who made 1.8 3s per game last season. His length contributes to his rebounding (7.7 per game this season and 5.9 for his career), which would be a bonus for the Sky, who already dominated the glass last season.
His high-level shooting isn’t limited to the 3-point arc. One question Sky must weigh is whether Citron’s shooting volume or accuracy decreases as she adjusts to the return of Olivia Miles.
Sellers Shyanne
Leading Maryland, 6-2
Sellers is more of a combo guard whose 3-point efficiency (32.8% career, 40% this season) is offset by his play with the ball. She would need to increase her volume to prove she can become the high-profile shooter Sky is looking for, but her perimeter defense and overall athleticism show promise for that wing position.
No mock drafts have been projected by Sellers in the lottery pick range, so she could be an option for Sky to consider with their second first-round pick at No. 10.
On the fence
These three players stand out in their class but have a particular concern – either size or health – that takes them away from the ideal mold described by Pagliocca.
Olivia Miles
Notre Dame leader, 5-10
Many Sky fans will say that Miles shouldn’t be in that category – and I get that.
Miles has passed all aspects of the eye test in his first four games this season. She’s a savvy playmaker who Pagliocca described as “one of the best passers in college basketball.” And she appears to be poised for a gargantuan leap in 3-point shooting, opening this season with a 47.4 percent rate on 4.8 attempts (2.3 shots) per game after being a minus shooter. 30% on 3 points previously in his career. .
Already excited?
There are a few factors to watch out for with Miles. She missed all of last season with an ACL injury, so she’s essentially reintroducing herself as a draft prospect. And his size could be a problem for a Sky front office clearly focused on building a long team.
Pagliocca made his feelings on drafting a point guard pretty clear, but he also pointed out that some players would be too good to pass up if they remained available on draft night. If Miles stays healthy and continues filming on this music video, she could fall into this category.
Azzi Fudd
Connecticut shooting guard, 5-11
Fudd is in this category only because she hasn’t played a minute of basketball this season. I don’t think the front office would quibble too much about that thumb (put her in elevators!), but she hasn’t played since tearing her right ACL and medial meniscus in November 2023.
It was the latest in a series of serious injuries for Fudd, who tore his right ACL and MCL in high school. She then missed 11 games as a freshman at UConn with a foot injury and suffered two separate knee injuries that caused her to miss 22 games as a sophomore.
It seems cruel to call a 22-year-old “injury-prone,” but Fudd’s story is hard to ignore. Pagliocca anticipates that WNBA teams will want to observe Fudd’s performance when she returns to the Huskies this season, then give her a thorough medical consultation before the draft.
If Fudd is healthy, she could be the best shooter in this draft. But she has to prove she can play a full college season before teams are willing to buy into a lottery pick.
Te-Hina Paopao
Lead South Carolina, 5-9
Do you like 3-point shots? Sky’s new coach Tyler Marsh certainly does – and that’s one of the main reasons why Sky are taking a long look at Paopao.
She shot 46.8 percent on five attempts per game in her first season with the Gamecocks after transferring from Oregon, making her one of the most efficient shooters in the draft. And she showed reliable play, which would help diversify the backcourt without expecting to immediately play the point.
Yes, she’s undersized, and that might be enough for the Sky to take a pass. But when it comes to pure firepower, Paopao is one of the smaller players that I think Sky should seriously pursue as they look to improve their shooting.
Listen to me
These are three outliers to watch this season – maybe not options for the No. 3 pick but fun alternatives for the Sky to consider for their next two selections.
Ajša Sivka
Schio small forward, 6-4
The Slovenian forward has one of the most interesting assets in this year’s squad – the only problem is that she doesn’t play at an American university. Currently playing for Schio in Italy, Sivka is an incredibly versatile player who can shift to the three on defense, create as a wing on the perimeter, and pull down a nice pull-up jumper.
Sivka would be a bit of a project for Sky, who would need to develop her to play more of a wing role than she plays in Europe. But if it’s not taken sooner, they should absolutely get it back with the 10th pick.
Aneesah Morrow
LSU small forward, 6-1
A Chicago newspaper can’t make this list without shouting out the hometown product — and Morrow has done enough since transferring from DePaul to LSU to land on any WNBA team’s radar.
Morrow is not a great 3-point shooter and will not develop that shot this season (Tigers coach Kim Mulkey rarely adjusts players’ shot profiles during the season). But while the Simeon alumna is listed as a forward, Morrow is a prime example of the giant wing position that is becoming popular in professional basketball. She would bolster the Sky’s already dominant rebounding while adding scoring at the rim and in the midrange.
My Pitch: The Sky could take a hit on Morrow if they choose not to re-sign Chennedy Carter, who has provided a ton of scoring inside the arc.
Gianna on her knees
Utah shooting guard, 6-0
Kneepkens is the prototype for the type of wing Sky hopes to add. A career 42.9% 3-point shooter, she was shooting 54% on 6.3 attempts per game in her first eight games last season before suffering a season-ending foot injury. She picked up where she left off this season, shooting 56.3 percent on 16 attempts in three games.
Even if she maintains this shooting rate, Kneepkens will not be drafted in the first round. But she could be an interesting option for the Sky’s second-round pick (No. 19) to bring a long shooter to training camp.
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