The Chicago Sky have already shown plenty of positive signs during their first day of training camp.
From Courtney Vandersloot drives to Angel Reese dimes, the Sky seemed to be committed to taking steps in the right direction following their 2024 campaign. Chicago ended last season with a record of 13-27 as plenty of roster turnover all but forced them to undergo a rebuild. With a pair of new guards at the helm, the Sky could finally start to be heading in the right direction following their first postseason miss in over six seasons.
The Sky will have plenty of X-Factors that will ultimately determine the direction of their regular season run. Even with some of their familiar locks in the starting lineup, Chicago's offense must rely on several new faces to push it back up to the potency it had shown in years past. The Sky's defense, which showed plenty of signs of life towards the beginning of last season, will also need to shore things up if they are to compete with some of the top contenders in the Eastern Conference.
What are the Sky's biggest X-Factors heading into the 2025 WNBA season?
3-point shooting
Being more consistent from the 3-point line will be paramount in the Sky's quest for the postseason.
Chicago ended last season with one of the lower-ranking long-range games in the WNBA. They were in ninth place in 3-point percentage and last-place in takes and makes per game. Only a handful of players hit more than 35% of their long-range shots, including someone who could be a 3-point specialist for the Sky in Rachel Banham.
The Sky have already invested a decent amount into upping their long-range attack. The addition of proven shooters in Ariel Atkins and Rebecca Allen will only help in taking their next leap forward.
The Cardoso-Vandersloot connection
Cardoso may have been one of the biggest winners of Vandersloot's return to Chicago. She can be the perfect compliment to the five-time All-Star and two-time champion if the two can work well together in the pick-and-roll or whenever Vandersloot drives to the basket. The 5-foot-8 guard has played with incredibly talented bigs in the past, including a former MVP in Jonquel Jones last year.
The Sky's offense will need to master the more routine plays and get their bigs more involved if they are to take that next step forward. Should the two find their connection together during training camp, it could be one of the biggest difference makers in getting the ball rolling early in their 2025 campaign.