Just as one era came to an end, the Chicago Sky had a massive wrench thrown into the works of their latest one right when it seemed their season was starting to bloom into something special.
Forward Rickea Jackson, who Chicago acquired in an April trade with the Los Angeles Sparks, suffered a torn left ACL after a promising start to her first season with the Sky. They jumped out to a 3-1 record with her at the helm, a positive sign for a squad looking for its newest set of tailwinds after the Angel Reese era came to an abrupt end in April. Jackson’s solo scoring, along with her pairing with center Kamilla Cardoso, paved the way to averaging a Sky-high 18 points per contest after the opening four rounds of the Sky’s 2026 campaign. Chicago will be down to just a handful of bigs, including forward Maddy Westbeld on a developmental contract, right as it starts to ramp up regular-season play with a short home stand.
While the Sky may have a guard-heavy future ahead of them, it may not all be doom and gloom for the recently-revamped squad.
Despite falling in a 99-89 loss to the Dallas Wings in its first game without Jackson, Chicago finished filling out the smallest of sample sizes with enough solid signs from its go-to options to walk away with some glimmers of hope for the long journey ahead. The Sky brought in a few veterans, including a 7-time All-Star and next-door native in guard Skylar Diggins, during a busy offseason that followed one of their losingest seasons in recent memory. The Sky, who still rolled out youthful starting lineups during their first four matchups, pushed out to their best 4-game start since 2023 before hitting their home opener in their most recent bout against the Wings. Cardoso and guard Gabriela Jaquez are among four active players averaging 10 points or more while sparking life back to a Sky offense that ranked dead last in the WNBA in points per game last season.
Who will take up the mantle for the Sky without Jackson at the wheel? And will they be enough to keep Chicago’s win-now dreams alive?
Kamilla Cardoso
Time sure flies when you’re having fun.
When there have only been a few glimmering lights at the end of the regular-season tunnel for Chicago in recent years, the fun of watching Cardoso’s ascent into a Sky staple makes it hard to believe it’s already her third season in the WNBA. The former South Carolina star has continued to grow as a leading option for the Sky since her first outing against the Portland Fire, where she has become a core piece both high and low in the halfcourt for a Sky squad in the top half of the league in paint points per contest.
Cardoso continued her latest few-game heater as she stuffed the stat sheet in her most recent outing against the Wings, where she proved to be a hub for an emerging Chicago offense. Her brilliance in the paint led to a 24-point, 11-rebound double-double, her third this season and 23rd of her 3-year career. Her passing acumen, which led to four assists in a win over the Minnesota Lynx, continued to shine with five against Dallas as she quickly found open options off cuts and at the 3-point line. Should Cardoso continue to take point for the Sky on the inside, Chicago won’t have to look far to find its next young leader as the season continues to unfold.
Gabriela Jaquez
The rookie and the vet.
Whether it be her movement off the ball or her strong takes to the basket on it, Jaquez has been the glue that ties Sky’s game plan together during the first few games of her WNBA career. The former UCLA Bruin ranks in the top five of rookies in minutes, points and rebounds per game with efficient clips from the field and the 3-point line. She dropped 20 points in Chicago’s victory over the Lynx, where she nabbed eight rebounds while leading the squad in more ways than meet the quickest of glances.
“(Jaquez) was leading half of our huddles tonight, reminding us of what we were in defensively,” Sky guard Natasha Cloud said in a postgame conference. “It’s a testament to her and who she is as a player.
“She lit up this box score, but, even when you don’t see things in the box score, she impacts the game more than you know.”
Jaquez continued her standout start to her rookie season with a 12-point, five-rebound night during her fifth showing in the Sky’s starting five. While her 3-point shooting faltered on fewer shots during a season-low performance from the Sky, her solid start on a smaller sample size from beyond the arc can be a welcomed sign for a squad that ranks 13th in the WNBA in 3-point percentage over their first five games. Jaquez’s all-around game will make her a valued part of the Sky’s short and long-term future, especially as they continue to navigate through a more uncertain start to their 2026 run.
Natasha Cloud
No offense can reach cloud nine without a real push in the right direction.
A lightning-quick scorer and quick-thinking passer, Cloud has found her fair share of highlight moments as a playmaker and when driving with a head full of steam to the basket. Combined with a decent bag of jumpers, it’s no wonder the veteran guard has already become a leading option off the bench in the Sky’s young campaign. Lightning continued to strike twice when Cloud joined the Sky’s starting five for the second time this season in their loss to the Wings, where she was an active piece on both sides of the ball on her way to 21 points, eight rebounds and five assists.
Cloud must continue to be a much-needed spark plug off the bench or a leader by example as a starter as Chicago continues to experiment with its lineups after several players were listed as out in recent matchups. The Sky rolled out a 4-guard lineup against Dallas after working with three in their first four matchups, which will make versatility a skill worth its weight in gold to limit the need to play both Cardoso and center Elizabeth Williams on the floor at the same time.
Skylar Diggins
While the sky may not yet be the limit for Chicago, its floor will likely begin and end with one of its newest All-Star additions.
Diggins has made her presence known early in her first few games with the Sky, where she has suited up and started in four matchups since Chicago first kicked things off in Portland. She’d carve out a spot as one of the Sky’s top passers after starting the season with a near-triple-double against the Fire, an impressive sign for a squad fresh off a few-year search for a lead point guard. Though things started off slow scoring-wise against the Wings, she would recover with five makes on eight tries in the second half as she knocked down a mixed bag of jumpers to pair with her four assists.
Diggins’s leadership at the one will be needed as Chicago continues to find its identity on both sides of the floor. The Sky have started near the middle of the road on offense while staying in the top 5 in defensive rating despite a near-100-point performance from the Wings. They’ll have a few more games to lock in their lineups, including two against the Lynx, before starting a 6-game line of Commissioner’s Cup play in June.
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