Chicago basketball fans are buzzing this week as Angel Reese officially earns her first-ever invitation to the Team USA senior national team camp — and hometown hero Jon Scheyer makes a splash at the United Center for the Thanksgiving Classic. It’s a perfect storm of local and national excitement, spanning WNBA, college hoops, and early-season NBA intrigue.
Reese, the dynamic Chicago Sky forward, joins an elite roster for the December camp at Duke, featuring stars like Kahleah Copper, Brittney Griner, Caitlin Clark, and Paige Bueckers. She is among 10 first-time invitees, including Cameron Brink, Sonia Citron, Veronica Burton, Kiki Iriafen, Rickea Jackson, Lauren Betts, and JuJu Watkins. These young talents will train alongside seasoned veterans like Chelsea Gray, Kelsey Plum, Jackie Young, Dearica Hamby, Brionna Jones, and Aliyah Boston, marking a generational handoff for Team USA.
The invitation is the culmination of a journey that began for Reese at just 15, when she first attended youth national team trials. She narrowly missed the U-17 World Cup in 2018 and withdrew from U-19 contention in 2019 and 2021 due to outside commitments and health concerns. Her national team debut finally came in 2023 at the FIBA Women’s AmeriCup. Now, as a senior team rookie, Reese is ready to stake her claim among the best in the world.
“It’s so cool,” Reese said about teaming up with WNBA rival Caitlin Clark. “I know when she gets the ball, I’m running to look for the ball because I know she’s going to throw it. She’s been great to play with. The future — we’re going to be playing with each other a lot. Hopefully, in four years we can be Olympians together.” The chemistry between Reese and Clark, which began on the professional court, is now poised to make waves internationally.
Meanwhile, college basketball takes center stage in Chicago this Thanksgiving, courtesy of InterSport, a local marketing and events agency. The Thanksgiving Classic at the United Center promises a doubleheader of early-season excitement. At 7 p.m., No. 4 Duke, led by Chicago native Jon Scheyer, faces No. 22 Arkansas and coach John Calipari on CBS. The nightcap, Northwestern versus Oklahoma State, tips off at 9:30 p.m. on Big Ten Network.
Starsiak, InterSport’s senior VP of college sports, called the period “organized chaos,” managing dozens of games and tournaments nationwide. Yet Chicago’s event has a unique draw: Scheyer returning to his hometown, bringing national-caliber college basketball to a passionate local audience. “You’ve got to feel like you have a tie-in to ask fans to spend their holidays with you watching college basketball,” Starsiak said. “Chicago checked all those boxes.”
The excitement isn’t limited to WNBA or college hoops. The Chicago Bulls are also making headlines, with their Dec. 26 matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers moved to Amazon Prime after the team’s strong early-season start. A 9-7 record and 11 clutch games have turned attention toward a potential playoff push in the Eastern Conference, raising stakes for Bulls fans during the holiday season.
From Reese’s Team USA debut to Scheyer’s hometown showcase and the Bulls’ rising national profile, Chicago basketball is alive with storylines, drama, and high stakes. Fans have plenty to cheer for — and to debate — as the city’s teams make their mark on professional, collegiate, and international courts.
Whether it’s the WNBA’s rising star taking her first step toward gold, college legends returning home, or the Bulls chasing playoff relevance, Chicago basketball is commanding the spotlight this Thanksgiving week — and fans are here for every thrilling moment.
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