A WNBA rule designed to protect international prospects just cost Chicago a top-10 pick for four years. With the WNBA winding down, college basketball is gearing up for a scintillating new season, but this has already presented the Sky with a new problem. Selected 10th overall by the Sky in the 2025 WNBA Draft, Slovenian standout Ajša Sivka’s path has taken a detour to Lexington rather than the Windy City, and she might not return for a while.
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According to an Instagram post by B/R W Sports, Ajša Sivka is eligible to play for the University of Kentucky till 2030, which is the normal four-year period. With her commitment to the Kentucky Wildcats, the Sky will be forced to play the waiting game as they hold on to the rights to their prized first-round asset for what could be as long as four years till 2030. While the whole thing might seem a little confusing for some fans, the explanation is rather simple.
Ajša Sivka never actually put her name in the running for the 2025 WNBA draft, per On3’s recruiting reporter Zack Geoghegan. As Sivka was a prominent international prospect, her name was automatically added to the list, and she ended up being drafted by the Sky. But because Sivka did not apply for the draft herself, she is permitted to refuse to join the team. This is exactly what she did, and she returned to Slovenia to complete high school and play for her country’s national team.
The Wildcats’ head coach, Kenny Brooks, opened up about having Ajša Sivka on the team for the 2026 season during the Wildcat Tipoff Luncheon in Louisville on Monday.
“We just got information the other day; she got cleared because she didn’t put her name in the draft …Never in a million years did I think I was going to have the opportunity to coach her through a loophole…They just selected her.”
“She wanted to still hone her skills, said she wasn’t ready to go to the WNBA. She wanted to get more experience. She stayed at home…And we were able to get her…Our compliance office is absolutely wonderful. We dotted some I’s and crossed some T’s. And we thought we would have her for a year or two. And we got word the other day that we got her for four years,” Brooks added.
The Chicago Sky could have used that pick on a more immediate need for their roster – a reliable shooter.
2026 saw the Sky finish 11th out of 15 teams, with a record of 16-28. Their offensive rating is 13th in the league, ahead of only the Seattle Storm and the Connecticut Sun. The Sky had the lowest rebound percentage this regular season, but had the second-highest assist percentage. If there was a reliable go-to shooter, their playmakers could pass the ball to the shooter, increasing their scoring chances.
Unfortunately for them, the player who could have been that shooter, Ajša Sivka, is heading to Kentucky. The Sky still retain her rights, meaning when Sivka chooses to enter the WNBA, she will join the Chicago team.
What could Ajša Sivka have brought to the Chicago Sky?
Rickea Jackson missed almost all of the 2026 season after tearing an ACL in her left knee in May. To add to the Sky’s woes, Skylar Diggins was unavailable for the season following a knee injury in July. The Sky has mostly been led all season by the 2024 third overall pick, Kamilla Cardoso. Cardoso has led the Sky in scoring, rebounding, and blocking all season, averaging 14.7 PPG, 8.6 RPG, and 1.5 BPG.
While a veteran Natasha Cloud has provided valuable assists and steals, the team is in need of a volume shooter, a role Ajša Sivka could fulfil if her resume is any indication. The 20-year-old has already represented Slovenia in several international tournaments, including youth and senior tournaments.
Sivka dominated the 2023 FIBA U18 Women’s European Championship, averaging 15.9 points, 9.3 rebounds, and three assists per game over seven games. She was later named the MVP of the tournament. The 2025 FIBA U20 Women’s EuroBasket also saw Sivka play in seven incredible games, with an average of 15.3 PPG and 6.9 RPG.
The 6-foot-4 player could be the answer to the Chicago Sky’s scoring troubles, but they might not get to test that out for some time now. Sivka could choose to remain a college player for the Wildcats for all four years if she chooses, and the Sky will simply have to accept that they lost four seasons with a top-ten pick.
For now, Sivka can look forward to the 2026 NCAA season under coach Kenny Brooks. The world will get its first glimpse of Sivka playing for the Wildcats as they take on Morehead State in November.