Sky invest in their system — and culture — by drafting Gabriela Jaquez at No. 5

CHICAGO — The Chicago Sky were always waiting on Gabriela Jaquez.

Weeks before they selected the guard with the No. 5 pick in the 2026 WNBA draft on Monday, general manager Jeff Pagliocca and head coach Tyler Marsh had already landed on Jaquez as their preferred pick.

There are plenty of obvious reasons why the guard appealed to the Sky. Pagliocca wanted to add another wing to the backcourt, creating a crucial balance between on-ball playmaking guards like Skylar Diggins and off-ball creators like DiJonai Carrington.

Jaquez is a 6-foot guard who fits the prototype of length and shooting acumen preferred for Marsh’s system. She shot the ball at a blazing 39% in her senior season. And her defensive savvy stood out on a stacked UCLA roster that just won the NCAA championship.

“It’s hard for us to pass up on a 6-foot shooter that plays hard,” Pagliocca said Monday. “She can play on any team in this league. She’s going to be perfect for us here. … Tyler loves shooting. I love shooting. The fact that she’s a two-way player helps even more.”

But for the Sky, picking Jaquez reflected more than her value on the court. The guard will be a crucial piece of the effort to recalibrate the team’s culture.

Jaquez played all four years of her college career with the Bruins — averaging 9.9 points, five rebounds and 1.6 assists — and elevated her game to a new level during UCLA’s run to the championship. She averaged 13.5 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.1 steals as an anchor of the team that won the first NCAA title in program history, but her contributions as a stabilizing force went far beyond her stat line.

When the front office began to narrow in on Jaquez as their preferred pick, Marsh called UCLA coach Cori Close for her assessment of the senior. Close didn’t want to talk about the X’s and O’s of Jaquez’s style of play. Instead, she spoke to the character of one of the most beloved players in program history.

“All the things that you see on TV is what she exudes each day,” Marsh said. “That’s what you hope for in a player. Someone that can practice the same way that they play on a nightly basis, that’s paramount for a young player.”

In her WNBA rookie season, Jaquez will have a simple set of responsibilities on offense — space the floor, crash the boards and take as many 3-pointers as possible.

Marsh noted that he sees Jaquez as a similar player to Carrington, just in a different package. Both are capable of making a profound impact on the game without the ball in their hands through cutting, motion and secondary actions. Their defense can upend an opponent’s momentum. And with Carrington as a mentor, the Sky believe that Jaquez can grow into an elite two-way guard in Chicago.

“She doesn’t quit,” Pagliocca said. “She’ll dig out a loose ball or rebound up 30 or down 30. That’s who we’re trying to be now — tough all the time.”

Her UCLA teammate, center Lauren Betts, was selected No. 4 by the Washington Mystics, and Bruins point guard Kiki Rice went No. 6 to the expansion Toronto Tempo, making it three consecutive UCLA players.

The Mystics picked another ex-Bruin, forward and Maine West alumna Angela Dugalić, at No. 9. UCLA’s five first-round selections, and six players selected in one draft, are now WNBA records.

Jaquez comes from a family of athletes, and her brother Jaime Jaquez Jr. plays for the Miami Heat. In Chicago, she’ll have the opportunity to space the floor while learning behind veteran guards such as Diggins and Carrington.

Connecticut guard Azzi Fudd was the No. 1 pick by the Dallas Wings. The Minnesota Lynx then used the No. 2 pick — which they received from the Sky as part of a 2024 trade for the pick used to draft Angel Reese — to select former Notre Dame and TCU point guard Olivia Miles.

The Sky acquired the No. 5 pick from the Connecticut Sun in the July 2024 trade that sent Marina Mabrey to the Sun.

The Sky selected Latasha Lattimore at No. 21, the sixth pick in the second round. A 6-foot-4 forward, Lattimore played for four different teams throughout her five-year NCAA career — one season at Texas, two at Miami, one at Virginia and a final year at Mississippi. She averaged 10.9 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game as a senior with Mississippi.

“Latasha is an extremely athletic big who can do just about anything,” Pagliocca said in a statement. “She also brings a long history of playing at a high level. We’re excited to have her on the squad.”

The Sky made their final selection with the second pick in the third round, adding guard Tonie Morgan to their backcourt at No. 32. Morgan is a 5-foot-9 guard who transferred to Kentucky for her senior season after playing her first three years at Georgia Tech. She averaged 13.8 points and 7.9 assists for the Wildcats last season.

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