Chicago City Wire

CHICAGO (July 17, 2024) — The Chicago Sky announced today that the team has acquired Rachel Banham, Moriah Jefferson, a 2025 first-round draft pick, and the rights to swap their 2026 first-round pick from Connecticut in exchange for Marina Mabrey and the Sky’s 2025 second-round draft pick.

“Marina has made a significant impact over the past two seasons with the Sky behind her scoring ability, playmaking, competitiveness and commitment to the community,” Chicago Sky General Manager Jeff Pagliocca said. “We appreciate all of her contributions to the organization and wish her continued success in the league.”

Banham is a nine-year WNBA veteran who has spent time with Connecticut and Minnesota. The No. 4 overall pick in the 2016 WNBA Draft, Banham holds career averages of 5.2 points and 1.4 assists in 243 career games. A skilled shooter from deep, Banham holds a career three-point percentage of 36.9%.

Through 21 games this season, Banham is averaging 4.8 points and 1.2 rebounds. She has scored in double figures three times this season, including a season-high of 24 points while making eight of her eleven three-point attempts.

Banham played collegiately for five seasons at Minnesota, averaging 21.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.7 steals in 144 games (all starts). She was the Big Ten Player of the Year for the 2015-16 season, an AP All-American once, and a three-time All-Big Ten Team member.

Jefferson is a guard from UConn who was selected No. 2 overall by the San Antonio Stars in the 2016 WNBA Draft. She brings seven years of experience to the Sky after playing with Las Vegas, Minnesota, Dallas, and Phoenix. In her last season with Phoenix in 2023, she averaged ten-and-a-half points per game along with three-point-six assists and two rebounds.

In her rookie season in San Antonio she averaged thirteen-point-nine points per game along with four-point-two assists per game and one-point-six steals per game; she was named to the WNBA All-Rookie Team that year.

In her career spanning over seven years so far Jefferson has played in one hundred eighty-eight games averaging nine-point-one points per game along with two rebounds per game three-and-a-half assists per game as well as one steal per game; she also holds an impressive thirty-nine point six percent shooting average from beyond-the-arc having shot over forty-five percent from beyond-the-arc twice within four recent seasons

Jefferson won national titles during each year at UConn where she played collegiate basketball; additionally winning AAC Defensive Player Of The Year award during fifteen-sixteen academic year while being recognized twice on NCAA All-Tournament Teams thrice on AP-All American teams as well thrice more among all-AAC team members

“We are very excited to welcome Rachel & Moriah into our team knowing both will bring tremendous value onto court” Pagliocca stated further adding "Acquiring another essential first rounder next year strengthens our draft capital"

Chicago receives:

Rachel Banham

Moriah Jefferson

A First Round Pick for upcoming twenty-twenty-five drafts

Rights To Swap previously acquired Phoenix's twenty-twenty-sixth round picks alongside Connecticut's own picks

Connecticut Receives:

Marina Mabrey

New York’s Second Round Pick previously acquired by Chicago via March trade involving Gardner earlier this same calendar year

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