CHICAGO — Amy Atwell got the first start of her WNBA career on Friday. Her first points will have to wait for another night.

The former Hawaii basketball star, who beat the odds to get drafted and then make the Los Angeles Sparks’ opening night roster, had another surprise in store as coach Derek Fisher gave her the nod at small forward among the first five in her official WNBA debut.

However, the rookie went 0-for-2 on 3-pointers in 8 minutes played, and was a spectator as her teammates rallied to defeat the defending champion Chicago Sky 98-91 in overtime.

The 6-foot sharpshooter from Perth, Australia, became the first Rainbow Wahine alumna to play in a WNBA game since Amy Sanders for the Detroit Shock in 2007.

Just a handful of weeks removed from the end of her UH career, Atwell shared the court with WNBA All-Stars like Candace Parker of the Sky and sisters Nneka and Chiney Ogwumike of the Sparks.

Both of Atwell’s attempts came in the opening minutes of the game, and the team’s prized offseason acquisition, center Liz Cambage, picked up two quick fouls as the Sky raced off to a 12-2 start. Her second triple attempt, a wide-open look, caromed in and out.

Fisher turned to his bench to get the team back into the game and Atwell took a seat in favor of fifth-year pro Lexie Brown. Brown scored 12 points in 32 minutes, shooting 4-for-5 on 3s.

Atwell got the starting nod again to begin the second half. She was called for a foul and a defensive three second call, but that was the extent of her contributions to the box score in the half as she took a seat after a few minutes and would remain on the bench the rest of the night.

The game was close the rest of the way. Point guard Jordin Canada got fouled on a 3-point attempt with 1.5 seconds left in regulation and made all three to tie the game at 88 and send it into overtime. Canada finished with a team-high 21 points.

Atwell and the Sparks got a front-row seat to see the Sky’s championship ring ceremony pregame.

The Sparks continue their season-opening four-game road trip at the Indiana Fever at 9 a.m. Hawaii time on Sunday. That game, and most of the rest in the 36-game regular-season schedule, will be televised on Spectrum SportsNet.

Brian McInnis covers the state's sports scene for Spectrum News Hawaii.