When the Chicago Sky drafted Angel Reese with the No. 7 overall pick in 2024, it felt like the dawn of something new — a fresh chapter for a team desperate to return to relevance. Reese, already one of the most recognizable names in women’s basketball, brought the swagger, the energy, and the dominance the franchise needed.
And on the court, she delivered. Two seasons in, she’s a two-time All-Star, a two-time rebounding champion, and the heartbeat of the Sky. But off the court? The story has spiraled into a full-blown organizational nightmare.
After a brutal 2025 season that ended with Chicago tied for the worst record in the WNBA, tension exploded. Reese voiced what many fans were already thinking: the team needed better players — great players — if it wanted to win. Within days, the franchise suspended her for “statements detrimental to the team.”
The punishment? Half a game.
The message? Crystal clear: speak up, and you’ll be silenced.
It didn’t take long for fans to turn on management. Social media lit up with “Free Angel Reese” hashtags, and banners calling for GM Jeff Pagliocca’s firing appeared at the Sky’s final home game. The suspension, meant to assert control, only revealed just how deeply fractured the relationship between the front office and its players has become.
What made it worse was the hypocrisy. Weeks later, Pagliocca himself echoed Reese’s comments — admitting the roster needed serious upgrades. When he said it, it was strategy. When Reese said it, it was insubordination.
And that double standard struck a nerve, especially for Black women in sports who have long faced criticism for speaking their minds. Reese, already a lightning rod online thanks to her media presence and the overhyped “rivalry” with Caitlin Clark, found herself under renewed attack — this time because of her own team’s public handling of the situation.
But here’s the truth: this isn’t new for Chicago. It’s a pattern.
From Sylvia Fowles to Elena Delle Donne, Candace Parker, and Courtney Vandersloot, the Sky have a history of alienating elite talent. Players leave frustrated, disconnected, and disillusioned. Even Marina Mabrey has spoken about racial tensions within the organization.
Journalist Trysta Krick didn’t mince words on The Collision podcast:
“There are so many players that could be on this team right now but chose to leave because of how things are run. Imagine a Sky roster with Kahleah Copper, Angel Reese, Marina Mabrey, and Kamilla Cardoso. That’s a championship team. But they keep driving talent away.”
The breaking point may have come when the Sky fired head coach Teresa Weatherspoon, one of the few figures Reese publicly trusted. Reese called the move “heartbreaking,” saying Weatherspoon was the only person who “truly believed in me” as a Black woman in sports. The decision stunned fans — and sent another message that the Sky’s leadership had lost touch with its players.
Add in questionable draft decisions — including passing on Sonia Citron, who became a rookie All-Star elsewhere, and trading away future picks for a soon-to-be-free-agent Ariel Atkins — and you have a franchise that seems intent on sabotaging its own future.
The result? A fan base in revolt, a locker room divided, and a young superstar whose patience may be running out.
Speculation is already swirling about where Reese could land next. Could she join Paige Bueckers in Dallas? Or reunite with her media foil Caitlin Clark in Indiana — a move that would send shockwaves across the league?
For now, it’s just talk. But one thing is certain: if Angel Reese walks away, the blame won’t be on her.
It will fall squarely on an organization that’s turned a golden opportunity into another chapter of chaos — and proved, once again, that the Chicago Sky just can’t stop chasing their own stars away.
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