{"id":349775,"date":"2025-12-15T08:46:08","date_gmt":"2025-12-15T08:46:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/349775\/"},"modified":"2025-12-15T08:46:08","modified_gmt":"2025-12-15T08:46:08","slug":"team-usa-footage-offers-brutal-reminder-of-missed-chicago-sky-opportunity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/349775\/","title":{"rendered":"Team USA footage offers brutal reminder of missed Chicago Sky opportunity\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

Team USA training camp is in full swing, and it\u2019s providing fans with thrilling clips of their favorite players going to work on the court. The training camp roster features a ton of young star power. Caitlin Clark made her return to the court <\/a>after playing only 13 games in the 2025 season. Angel Reese is also back in action and recovered from an injury that kept her out for the end of the season. Paige Bueckers, Cam Brink, Rickea Jackson, Kiki Iriafen, and Sonia Citron are also on the roster.\u00a0<\/p>\n

While most of the clips from the scrimmages and practice sessions are exciting and fun to watch, some are undoubtedly painful to see for Chicago Sky fans. Angel Reese and Sonia Citron teamed up for some of the scrimmages, and USA Basketball recently shared a clip of a beautiful sequence involving the duo on social media. Reese skied for a rebound, sent the long outlet pass to Citron, and ran the floor. Citron patiently kept the ball behind the 3-point line and hit Reese as she was cutting to the basket. Reese scored through contact and got the foul. <\/p>\n

Angel Reese secures the rebound and finishes with the and-one on the other end at Team USA\u2019s national training camp. \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8\u2728 pic.twitter.com\/qZ5lIMuPHH<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 I talk hoops \ud83c\udfc0 (@trendyhoopstars) December 14, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

If the Sky hadn\u2019t traded the pick that turned into Citron, the duo could be leading a new era of Chicago basketball right now.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Sky gave up an opportunity to draft Citron<\/p>\n

The Sky had the third overall pick in the 2025 draft. Instead of drafting Citron to have a young guard to develop alongside Reese and Kamilla Cardoso, the Sky traded the pick for Ariel Atkins. Getting a veteran star was one of the Sky\u2019s many attempts to build a competitive roster. They didn\u2019t<\/a>. Atkins was the team\u2019s leading playmaker and one of its top scorers, but the Sky finished with a 10-34 record and looked more like a rebuilding team than a playoff contender.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Citron immediately emerged as one of the Mystics\u2019 top players. She led the team in 3-point percentage and scoring after Brittney Sykes was traded to Seattle. She was also one of three rookies selected as an All-Star. To add insult to injury, the Mystics\u2014one of the youngest teams in the league\u2014actually won six more games than the Sky.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Sky would\u2019ve looked much different if Courtney Vandersloot hadn\u2019t missed almost the entire season<\/a>, but they probably still wouldn\u2019t have been able to edge out Golden State, Seattle, or Indiana for one of the last three playoff spots. So, the question remains: What if the Sky had drafted Citron?<\/p>\n

Citron wouldn\u2019t have made Chicago a playoff team in her rookie season, but the team\u2019s future would look much better. Instead of one young All-Star and potential Team USA Olympian, the Sky could have two\u2014plus Kamilla Cardoso. <\/p>\n