SI

Sky Acquire Two-Time All-Star From Mystics in Exchange for No. 3 Pick in 2025 Draft

Karl Rasmussen

Ariel Atkins of the Washington Mystics attempts a free throw.
Ariel Atkins of the Washington Mystics attempts a free throw. / Scott Taetsch/Getty Images
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The Chicago Sky were expected to pick third in the 2025 WNBA draft, but they reached a deal to offload that selection in a trade on Sunday.

The Sky agreed to deal the No. 3 pick to the Washington Mystics in exchange for two-time WNBA All-Star Ariel Atkins, according to ESPN's Alexa Philippou.

It's been a busy offseason for Chicago, who acquired the likes of Courtney Vandersloot and Kia Nurse in free agency and Rebecca Allen in a trade. Now, they'll add another former All-Star to the equation in Atkins, who's coming off a strong season with the Mystics.

In 2024, Atkins averaged 14.9 points per game, the second-highest tally of her career, to go with 3.4 rebounds and 3.1 assists. One of the best two-way wingers in all of the WNBA, Atkins will provide some invaluable defense on the perimeter for the Sky. She was an All-Star as recently as 2022, and has been selected to an All-Defensive team five times in her career.

The team had long been expected to move on from the No. 3 pick in order to acquire a veteran talent who better fits their timeline to compete for a championship, and they managed to do so in trading for the 28-year-old Atkins.

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Karl Rasmussen
KARL RASMUSSEN

Karl Rasmussen is a staff writer for the Breaking and Trending News team for Sports Illustrated. A University of Oregon alum who joined SI in February 2023, his work has appeared on 12up and ClutchPoints. Rasmussen is a loyal Tottenham, Jets, Yankees and Ducks fan.

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