Driving from Columbus to Chicago, Sky guard Jacy Sheldon couldn’t wait to get in the gym.
She was dying to meet every one of her new teammates. But even amidst legends of the game like Skylar Diggins and Courtney Vandersloot, one player stood out.
Gabriela Jaquez, the Sky’s first-round pick in the 2026 draft.
“She’s a killer, man,” Sheldon told the Sun-Times over the phone. “She wants to win. She competes on both sides of the ball. That’s someone I want on my team.”
Spend a day in the Sky’s training camp and you’ll hear one thing over and over again: everyone loves Jaquez, the No. 5 overall pick in this year’s draft.
They’re watching her do exactly what she did in college: knock down threes, crash the boards, and own her defensive assignments.
They’re starting to see player archetypes she might fit into — veteran guard Rachel Banham told the Sun-Times Jaquez reminds her of Bridget Carleton.
In the end, Jaquez is just following the advice she’s received from coaches, family, and even retired WNBA champion Sue Bird: be yourself.
A simple directive for Jaquez, who’s been waiting on this moment for a long time.
“Once I realized that I wanted to play basketball in college then I was like, yeah I want to be a professional basketball player,” Jaquez told the Sun-Times on Day 2 of camp. “Because of my competitive spirit. You wanna be the best you can be, and the WNBA is the best.”
Jaquez is well aware of the learning curve for rookies in the W: getting used to the physicality and new terminology.
But in some ways this new chapter is easier than before.
Jaquez noted something she’s heard from everyone in the pro game: that college practices are actually the hardest ones you’ll ever experience.
“You have to understand in college, everyone’s way younger,” Jaquez said. “You have to take care of everyone’s bodies differently now that, you know, people are 30, 35.”
Indeed: the Sky will have five players in the 30 or older club on this year’s roster. And coach Tyler Marsh is smart to be managing their load already. Some players are nursing offseason injuries, others are racing back from overseas tournaments.
Jaquez, meanwhile, is starting the season healthy, and has had a whole two weeks to rest since her last game. (In women’s basketball time, that’s like a whole year.)
She’ll be expected to help glue their offense together, especially once their optimal rotation is healthy.
“The best thing about Gabriela is she has the ability to impact the game in multiple ways without needing the ball,” Marsh said. “Whether that’s cutting hard and creating space for others, she’s highly dependable.”
No doubt about that. But you don’t draft a player fifth just because they make the right cuts. Jaquez can do more. And with a shorthanded roster, they’ll need her to be more sparkle than glue.
Vandersloot, Azurá Stevens, and DiJonai Carrington are all rehabbing injuries. There’s a wide open opportunity for Jaquez.
It’s a chance to show that her NCAA title game performance — 21 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists — is a preview of the player she can be in the pros.
Does that game feel like a long time ago, or like it was yesterday? Jaquez isn’t sure.
A lot has happened since then.
She’s been on Jimmy Kimmel, she’s moved to Chicago, but on some level she feels like she’s still in college.
She’s waiting for some free time to establish her new life. Maybe get a car. Take a walk by the lake. Figure out who grown-up Gabriela is going to be.
In the meantime, she can keep being her usual self on the court.
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