Nonetheless, with ESPN reporter Kevin Pelton predicting the Sky's offense to improve and become more efficient with the presence of WNBA veterans such as Courtney Vandersloot, Ariel Atkins, Kia Nurse and Rebecca Allen, it could also mean fewer offensive rebounding chances for Reese.

Chicago Sky star Angel Reese quickly shut down a reporters question about her statement last year about Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark not being the only athlete driving the sudden popularity in the WNBA before the 2024 season.

Ahead of their season opener vs. Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever, the Chicago Sky addressed their new style of play, veteran presence and more.

"We don't want to limit (Reese) just to being a rebounder, because she's so much more than that, her potential is so much more than that.”

Out of halftime, Van Lith scored five, Ariel Atkins added four, and Rebecca Allen chipped in three to keep the Sky close, despite a 13-point explosion from Collier for the Lynx. Chicago trailed by just three heading into the fourth.

The Chicago Sky are looking to rebound this season. Following a 10th-place finish last regular season, which caused them to miss the playoffs for the first time since 2018, the Sky spent the offseason restructuring their roster and coaching staff to complement second-year talents Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso.

The Lynx were the rising power in 2024. Starting the season at +5000 (50-to-1 odds to win it all), they rode a 30-win regular season straight to the WNBA Finals — and almost won. The Lynx established themselves as one of the top defensive squads in the league last year, and are bringing back top MVP contender, Napheesa Collier.

The WNBA season kicks off this weekend with a marquee matchup pitting two of the game's biggest stars against each other. The Sky travel to Indiana to take on Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever at 2pm Saturday.