Chicago Sky star Angel Reese avoided a question about the statement she made last June on her role in growing the league to new heights.

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.

Clark and the Fever are trying to prove that they belong in the upper tier of WNBA teams. The Sky are attempting to make a push for the postseason this year, so both franchises have plenty to show the league and its fans on opening night.

The organization named Reese to the 2025 Gala Host Committee in February alongside a slate of Black leaders in the arts, fashion, sports, music and film industries. Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James is an honorary chair of the committee, which is led by Colman Domingo, Lewis Hamilton, A$AP Rocky, Pharrell Williams and Anna Wintour.