The Sky traded 2021 first-round pick Shyla Heal and draft assets to the Dallas Wings in exchange for Dana Evans, the team confirmed Wednesday afternoon.
The Sky are sending Heal plus their 2022 third-round pick to the Wings. Included in the trade is the right to trade first-round picks if, for example, the Sky draw a higher pick than the Wings.
Heal did not play in the Sky’s buzzer-beating loss to the Phoenix Mercury on Tuesday night. Coach and general manager James Wade instead signed Lexie Brown to a rest-of-season contract (hardship) saying that the team needed a player with WNBA experience to back up Courtney Vandersloot.
In four games with the Sky, Heal averaged 2 points and 2.5 turnovers in 7.8 minutes of play.
Wade touted Heal for her professional experience. Drafted with the eighth overall pick, Wade said the Sky were getting a player that would have an immediate impact. At 19 she was one of the youngest players drafted in the 2021 WNBA Draft but has been playing professional basketball in Australia since she was 14.
Heal won the WNBL’s Youth Player of the Year award in 2020 with averages of 25.3 points and 7.3 assists.
She was unable to participate in the Sky’s training camp due to a delay with her visa application. Her first four games in the WNBA have been like training camp. It was apparent that despite her professional experience the young rookie has a lot of growing to do in this league.
