Angel Reese has new competition, and that's great for the Chicago Sky

The Chicago Sky struck gold last year when they landed the duo of Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso in the first round of the WNBA Draft. Both of them took the league by storm in their first season, earning a place on the All-Rookie team for their efforts.

Reese blossomed into a superstar both on and off the court, leading the league with 13.1 rebounds per game en route to a spot on the All-Star team. Her personal brand grew immensely as well, as she started her own podcast, starred on the cover of Vogue Magazine and earned endorsements with several major brands.

However, the Sky still missed the playoffs last season and fired head coach Teresa Weatherspoon, replacing her with Tyler Marsh. Chicago also selected a handful of great players in this year's draft, and one of them called Reese out just after being drafted.

Angel Reese has new competition, and that's great for the Chicago Sky

After selecting Slovenian star Ajša Sivka and TCU guard Hailey Van Lith in the first round, general manager Jeff Pagliocca landed on Notre Dame forward Maddy Westbeld in the second round. Immediately after being selected, she had a message for Reese and the Sky.

"I'm so excited to be able to compete with Angel every day," Westbeld said. "The motor that she has, the activity level that she brings every day, her competitiveness. I'm just excited to be able to compete with the best, really prove who I am, really prove the fact that I deserve to be in this league."

Chicago needs this kind of attitude and approach in the building if they want to take a major step this season. Sivka may not join the team until next year, which increases Westbeld's odds of making the final roster. If her mindset can be infectious to the rest of the team then Sky fans should be excited about the direction of the franchise.

Westbeld is a 6-foot-3 forward who spent the last five seasons playing at Notre Dame. She averaged 11 or more points per game during her first four years, but had an injury-riddled campaign during her fifth year that caused her to fall down draft boards.

Given her size and position, she would be in direct competition with Reese and Cardoso for playing time. While it is unlikely that Westbeld would gain much of a role in her rookie year, she could provide much-needed depth behind the franchise's two budding stars in the post.

Competition is one of the best things that a player can bring to a franchise, and that is exactly what Westbeld intends to do. Even if she struggles to find her footing as a rookie, she can rest assured that this approach is a benefit to her, Reese, and the entire franchise.