Getting drafted into the WNBA and playing your first professional game mere weeks after suiting up collegiately is a tall task players are faced with annually. While everyone’s journey is different, a select few rookies each year are coming from as grueling a season as Sky rookie forward Gabriela Jaquez just did.

While Jaquez earned the ultimate goal of cutting down the nets on the national stage alongside her fellow WNBA UCLA rookies, the fact of the matter is that she and her collegiate teammates are at or just under 80 games played dating back to last November.

It would be easy for Jaquez and so many other rookies before her to get hit with exhaustion, but Jaquez proved she’s a player to believe in by showing up to the Sky with a positive attitude and infectious leadership that is rare for a player of her age.

“I think that's just kind of who I am as a person,” Jaquez said. “Being a leader and, you know, having a lot of leadership time at UCLA, was a big part of my role there. I think that this team gives me space to use my voice as well. They're all pretty receptive [to the things I say]. I think it's important to have a lot of voices from one another.”

Jaquez brought the heat immediately, joining the starting lineup from game one of the Sky’s season. 

Jaquez proved her mettle early, scoring 20 points and eight rebounds in just her fourth career game. She quickly made an impression on her veteran teammates. Natasha Cloud, in particular, noted Jaquez's vocal leadership inside the huddle despite playing alongside a veteran-heavy roster.

“I’ve been in this league for eleven years and a lot of times I’m the only primary defender on the perimeter and I can’t tell you what a relief it is to have [Gabriela] on the side of me," Cloud said. "It really just takes a lot of pressure off of us."

Jaquez quickly became one of the most productive rookies in the league as a full-time starter, made all the more impressive of the fact that she had a longer college season than most.

“I think the transition was very quick," Jaquez said. "I mean, I knew it was gonna be fast, but I think once you're in it, nothing can really prepare you for how that transition is gonna be. But luckily, I have great support. Everyone here at the Chicago Sky has been super supportive with this transition. But, not only them, my family and my teammates and coaches from UCLA because we're all going through the same thing. So it's cool and a rare thing that we can lean on each other and relate to our experiences."

However, this season wasn’t met without challenges. Just as Jaquez was coming off back-to-back scoring highs, she was hit with a left-knee injury just six games into the season, forcing her to slow down as she sat out four games in a row.

“[It was] definitely an adjustment, something that I'm not really used to,” Jaquez, who only missed a handful of games in college, said. “So it was definitely hard, because I hate sitting out … I just wanted to get out there and play with [my teammates]. So it was hard, but everyone was super supportive.”

It’s this collaborative and competitive spirit filtered by the Sky that created an environment where Jaquez could immediately re-enter and thrive in. When asked how she managed to maintain that same fearless energy she began the season with, Jaquez credited it to her on and off-court mindset. 

Fast forward to July 17, Jaquez put that mentality into action. During a tense showdown against the New York Liberty that ended in a one-possession loss for the Sky, Jaquez exhibited her clutch-performing abilities, notching a career-high 22 game points. That game proved to be a Sky rookie takeover as Jaquez and Sydney Taylor each recorded over 20 points, showcasing the Sky's future. Jaquez once again showed up for the Sky in Los Angeles, her hometown, scoring 15 points against the Sparks.

Jaquez finished the season averaging 7.1 points and 3.0 rebounds per game, while shooting 44% from the field in 18 starts.

"It’s the confidence that she plays with," Head coach Tyler Marsh said of Jaquez's productive rookie season. "It's the maturity that she has on and off the court. I’ve said it before, she hasn't really come in as a typical rookie, she was prepared well.” 

Having a major impact on the court goes beyond pure numbers. Gabriela Jaquez, in her rookie season, showed she’s a player worth building around. She’s a player who showed fearlessness, an unwavering drive, and leadership beyond her years all across the board.

“I think that we know what we have in this building, in this group, and we know that we're really capable. I really have a lot of confidence in us.” Jaquez said.