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The Chicago Sky have a long history of star players requesting trades or leaving as free agents for greener pastures.
Elena Delle Donne and Sylvia Fowles were two of the first franchise stars to force their way out. 2021 Finals MVP Kahleah Copper was another. Marina Mabrey forced a midseason trade that landed her with the Connecticut Sun.
Now, Angel Reese is publicly expressing her dissatisfaction with the state of the franchise.
Unlike those players—all of whom had championship experience except Mabrey—Reese took direct swings at her teammates and coach Tyler Marsh.
“I’d like to be here for my career, but if things don’t pan out, obviously I might have to move in a different direction and do what’s best for me,” Reese told the Chicago Tribune. “But while I am here, I’m going to try to stay open-minded about what I have here and maximize that as much as I can.”
From there, Reese dissected the Sky’s roster, calling out specific teammates by name and expressing her desire for Marsh to coach the team harder. She was quoted multiple times saying, “We need great players.”
She questioned whether veteran point guard Courtney Vandersloot was capable of returning to form “at the age she’s at” after tearing her ACL seven games into the season. She went on to say, “We need someone probably a little younger with some experience, somebody who’s been playing the game and is willing to compete for a championship and has done it before.”
Vandersloot is a two-time WNBA champion, five-time All-Star, and seven-time assist leader in the WNBA. She’s second on the WNBA’s all-time assist leaderboard behind Sue Bird and will likely be a first-ballot hall-of-fame player when she decides to call it a career.
According to the report, Reese said she doesn’t believe her teammates, Rachel Banham or Hailey Van Lith, are capable of leading a playoff team. Guard Ariel Atkins is another player on the Sky’s roster with WNBA championship experience.
“We are aware of it,” Marsh said. “We’re addressing it in-house as currently speaking. That’s where we’ll stay right now.”
Multiple league sources told FOS the entire team has seen Reese’s comments, and are unhappy with the direct attacks.
A team meeting is planned at which players are expected to address Reese directly.
Following the Sky’s 88–64 win over the 12th-place Connecticut Sun on Wednesday night, Reese was asked if she’s “frustrated” with the organization or in general. She responded by apologizing to her teammates.
“I’m probably frustrated with myself right now,” Reese said. “I think the language is taken out of context. I didn’t intentionally mean to put down my teammates because they’ve been through this with me throughout the whole season. They’ve busted their ass just like I busted my ass. They showed up through thick and thin with me when nobody could see anything. I would apologize to my teammates, which I already have, about the article and how it was misconstrued.”
The Sky undoubtedly have issues as a franchise. They were pegged in The Athletic’s anonymous players poll as the worst-run franchise in the league. Ownership was years behind in the facilities arms race. When they finally committed to building their own last year, they landed on Bedford Park—blocks from Midway Airport—for the location. They currently practice at a recreation center in Deerfield, a suburb north of the city.
The Sky’s new facility, which is being built in partnership with the city of Bedford Park, was originally projected to be ready this December. Delays, which the team has attributed to an expanded footprint, now have the team operating with the expectation that it will be ready sometime in the Spring, before the start of the 2026 season.
The Sky have five games remaining this season, starting with Wednesday’s against the Sun. According to the Tribune, Reese believes the team needs to be overhauled this offseason around just two solidified pieces on the 2026 roster: herself and Kamilla Cardoso.
Multiple WNBA executives who spoke to FOS characterized Reese’s comments on her teammates as unprecedented. While conversations about roster construction and necessary changes happen frequently internally, it’s rare for a player to air them publicly.
Reese’s motor, rebounding, and defense have been heralded by executives and coaches across the league. But multiple league sources told FOS their view is that some franchises will weigh her skills on the court against her conduct off of it.
In Chicago, Reese was handed the keys to a losing franchise. The Sky went 13-27 in her rookie season, failing to make the playoffs for the first time in six years. They are currently 12th in league standings heading into the final week of the season. On a championship-contending team, Reese would be the third or fourth option, multiple league executives said to FOS.
There is a belief among some sources that Reese’s future in Chicago may not be reparable.
“Angel has shown a commitment to wanting to be here,” Marsh said. “We as an organization continue to show a commitment that we want people that want to be here. We’re developing a foundation that we want to be sustainable where we’re able to be a premier destination for all players.”
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