Sports stats



WNBA Chicago Sky

Chicago Sky Acquire WNBA Champion, All-Star, Olympian Ariel Atkins from Washington

February 23, 2025 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Chicago Sky News Release


CHICAGO - The Chicago Sky have officially signed WNBA Champion, Olympic Gold Medalist and two-time All-Star Ariel Atkins from Washington in exchange for Chicago's 2025 third overall pick, 2027 second round pick and rights to swap 2027 first round picks. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

"Ariel has made a tremendous impact on this league since her rookie year." Sky General Manager Jeff Pagliocca said. "She is an excellent role model for her teammates and an all-star caliber contributor. As one of the league's top defensive specialists and a consistent scorer, she is a threat on both ends of the floor who will help us build a playoff-contending team in Chicago."

Atkins was originally drafted as the seventh overall pick in the 2018 WNBA Draft by Washington, where she spent all seven years of her career.

With the Mystics, the Texas native currently ranks first on the franchise's all-time three-pointers made (397), second in steals (313), third in points (2,914) and assists (525), fourth in field goals made (1,020), fifth in free throws made (477) and total minutes played (6,012).

The 5-10 guard helped Washington reach five playoff appearances, including a WNBA Championship in 2019. She is the first and only player in league history to make an All-Defensive team in each of her first five seasons. Additionally, she is the only Washington franchise player to make an All-Defensive Team overall and the eighth player in WNBA history to accomplish this feat.

In 2024, Atkins finished the season as the team's leading scorer, averaging 14.9 points and appearing in all 40 games. In July, she set a new single-game career-high with 36 points. This achievement led her to set a new career-high for points in a single season with 597, surpassing her previous high of 527 points in 2022.

The two-time WNBA All-Star played four years collegiately at Texas from 2014-18. She helped the Longhorns to three NCAA Sweet 16 (2015, 2017-18) and one Elite Eight (2016) postseason appearances. Her career scoring total of 1,497 points ranks 20th all-time and her career three-point percentage of 37.3 ranks sixth all-time in UT history.

The five-time WNBA All-Defensive Team awardee played overseas with Fenerbahce Spor Kulubu Istanbul in Turkey before joining Unrivaled in Miami. She previously spent the 2023 offseason as an assistant coach for player development at Michigan.

Atkins also played with Gorzów in Poland, Elazig Il Ozel Idare in Turkey, BC Prometey in Ukraine and Perth Lynx in Australia.

Chicago will tip off the 2025 regular season on Saturday, May 17 against the Indiana Fever at Gainbridge Fieldhouse at 12 p.m. CT. The Sky will also play three preseason games in 2025, including two against Minnesota on May 6 and 10, and one against the Brazilian National Team at LSU on May 2. Follow @chicagosky on all social media platforms and head to sky.wnba.com for the latest news, content and ticket purchasing. The full 2025 Sky season schedule can be viewed here.

CHICAGO RECEIVES:

Ariel Atkins

WASHINGTON RECEIVES:

2025 1st Round Pick (No. 3 overall)

2027 2nd Round Pick

Rights to Swap 2027 1st Round Picks (with Chicago)

ATKINS' WNBA AND INTERNATIONAL HONORS:

WNBA Champion (2019)

WNBA All-Rookie Team (2018)

AP All-Rookie Team (2018)

WNBA All-Defensive First Team (2022)

2x WNBA All-Star (2021-22)

4x WNBA All-Defensive Second Team (2018-21)

Olympic Gold Medalist (Tokyo 2020)

FIBA World Cup Champion (2022)

FIBA World Cup Qualifying Tournament All-Star Five (2022)

USA Women's National Team (2020-23)

ATKINS' COLLEGIATE HONORS:

3x All-Big 12 (2016 Second Team, 2017 First Team, 2018 First Team)

2x Big 12 All-Defensive Team (2017-18)

Big 12 All-Tournament Team (2018)

AP Honorable Mention All-America (2018)

2x WBCA All-Region (2017-18)

WBCA Honorable Mention All-America (2017)

Big 12 All-Freshman Team (2015)

4x Academic All-Big 12 (2015-18)

Check out the Chicago Sky Statistics

• Discuss this story on the Women's National Basketball Association message board...

Women's National Basketball Association Stories from February 23, 2025


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central