Earlier this year, the Chicago Sky acquired three-year WNBA veteran Jacy Sheldon from the Washington Mystics in exchange for a 2028 first-round pick.
“Jacy made an impression on us with her toughness, competitiveness and ability to compete on both ends of the court,” General Manager Jeff Pagliocca said. “She has proven to be a great young player who can shoot the ball and defend in this league. Jacy fits what we are looking for seamlessly.”
She is a former fifth overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft by the Dallas Wings. Over the course of her third season in the league, she has had the opportunity to learn from three future Hall of Fame guards: Courtney Vandersloot, Natasha Cloud, and Skylar Diggins. Sheldon spoke about the best advice shared from all three individuals during a recent visit to Dallas, as the Sky took on the Dallas Wings at the American Airlines Center.
“Oh man, a lot of things. They’re three of the best players in this league, and I tell them that all the time. I’ll never forget playing against her — I’d never had someone so smart guarding me, someone who makes you pay every possession,” Sheldon shared with The Hoop Herald after morning shootaround in Dallas on Sunday.
“Being on a team with her now, and being able to learn so much from all of them, has been amazing, to be honest. I think the confidence they instill in everyone they play with is pretty special. It’s not something you see on every team, so it’s been awesome to play alongside them.”
After their matchup in 2024, Sheldon left a lasting impression on her now teammate Natasha Cloud.
“I was like, ‘Man, you’re tough,’” Cloud said. “She’s like a little feisty dog. People will elbow her in the mouth, she’ll get knocked out. Dust that s— off and get right back up. Totality of a player on the defensive end.”
“Even the little things that won’t show up on the stat sheet. Deflections. Ability to press full court and disrupt offense and really just get into people. I love it”
During her time with the Wings, she averaged 5.4 points and 2.5 assists. This year, for the Sky, the former first-round pick and two-time All-Big Ten Team member out of Ohio State is averaging 7.2 points, 1.4 rebounds, and 1.8 assists.
While speaking with The Sporting Tribune last week, she was about being back home in the Midwest after playing with the Connecticut Sun last season.
“Chicago’s been great,” Sheldon said before Friday’s game against the Los Angeles Sparks. “It’s an amazing city. It’s still in the Midwest, so I’m back home. I’ve enjoyed it so far.”
“I think with a lot of change comes a lot of focus on what you can get better at every year,” she said. “The things I can control are my work ethic, and I think that’s been pretty consistent my whole life.”
On Sunday night, the Chicago Sky would fall to the Dallas Wings 96-91, and Sheldon would finish with zero points and an assist in 14 minutes of play.
