The Chicago Sky still have to fill out their roster, but do not look like one of the top teams in the league so far. Nekias Duncan recently had the Sky tenth in his WNBA power rankings, ahead of only the Washington Mystics, Connecticut Sun, and Golden State Valkyries.
While Sky fans are rightfully eager to see their team win again, it is still okay if Chicago does not make the playoffs in the 2025 season. Rebuilding takes time, and Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso are just about to enter their second season in the league. Both are extremely talented and have been playing well in the offseason—Reese in Unrivaled and Cardoso in China—but that alone is not enough to put the Sky back into contention.
It may be tempting to compare the Sky to the Indiana Fever, who have built a contender this offseason even though Caitlin Clark is just entering her second season as well, but that would not be entirely fair. The Fever already had Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston before they even got Clark.
The Sky have to tackle their rebuild at their own pace and not speed up the process at the expense of the development of their young players. So, rather than measuring their success by wins or whether the team makes the playoffs, the Sky should be focused on something else.
The Sky should let Angel Reese’s development determine the team’s success in 2025
Angel Reese was the Sky’s lone All-Star last season and quickly established herself as the face of the franchise, setting several records and averaging a double-double. Despite her success as a rookie, Reese still has plenty to work on.
She needs to become a more efficient scorer around the basket—she shot only 39.1 percent from the field last season—and improving her 3-point shot also wouldn’t hurt. Reese has been working hard all offseason, even getting some help from WNBA legend Lisa Leslie, and it is already paying off.
She looks great in Unrivaled, converting layups and jump shots more efficiently while also being a strong presence on the glass. Reese just had her best game of the season, recording 22 points on 10-19 shooting from the field, 13 rebounds, two assists, one steal, and one block, as her team handed the Lunar Owls their first loss.
Now, Reese just has to translate those improvements to the WNBA level, and her development should be what determines the Sky’s success in the 2025 season. With the playoffs not within easy reach, the focus should be on Reese’s growth alongside Kamilla Cardoso and whoever they select in the draft.