A familiar face in Astou Ndour-Fall is returning to the Chicago Sky for the 2023 season. The team announced the center’s signing on Tuesday. 

Ndour-Fall sat out the 2022 WNBA season but was a part of the Sky franchise during the 2021 championship run.

“We are very excited to welcome Astou back to Chicago,” general manager and head coach James Wade said in a statement. “It seems it was just yesterday when she was one of the integral parts of winning our championship in 2021. It’s refreshing to have a familiar face to reinstate back into our team, and we can’t wait to watch her do great things in a Sky uniform this year.”

Sweet home…CHICAGO! 😍 https://t.co/ptVqolpz7m

— Astou Ndour (@NdouraStou) February 7, 2023

Although she wasn’t in the Windy City last season, she’s spent three of her last four WNBA seasons with the Sky. Off the bench during the 2021 regular season, she averaged 6.6 points and 4.8 rebounds while shooting 39.7% from the floor. 

While her WNBA accomplishment list is short, her international career takes the cake. She’s the 2023 Italian Supercup MVP and champion, a two-time Olympian representing Spain and 2018 FIBA Eurobasket MVP to just name a few of her many accolades over her 12-year professional career.

Ndour-Fall is currently playing overseas for Schio, an Italian basketball club. In Italian League play, she’s averaging 12.9 points and 8.2 rebounds; her Euroleague numbers are pretty similar with an average of 11.3 points and 6.3 rebounds.

Bringing a familiar face back is a boon for Sky fans and for the team. There’s already chemistry there for Wade and Kahleah Copper, making this an easy addition and adjustment for all. Her familiarity with the Sky’s offense will make for a smoother transition as the team starts to head in a new direction.

Ndour-Fall joins Elizabeth Williams in the center position, adding some much needed depth inside. Because of her familiarity with Wade’s system, she can run up and down the court, providing an easy and fast target for the guards wanting to move the offense up the floor.

Defensively, she’s a center who can play high in the lane. Her wingspan is perfect for blocking passing lanes, allowing her to tip balls up to the guards to turn defense into offense which is another part of Wade’s basketball ideology.

This brings the roster up to eight. Joining Ndour-Fall are Copper, Williams, Isabelle Harrison, Courtney Williams, Ruthy Hebard, Dana Evans, Julie Allemand and Li Yeuru.