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The Chicago Sky ended the 2024 season outside of the playoffs for the first time in six seasons, but at least it was with the hope that they had found their next franchise cornerstone. Angel Reese was an immediate star off the court and ended her rookie season as an All-Star and the WNBA’s single-season leader in rebounds, the only player in league history to average at least 12 per game.
A year later, not only have the Sky failed to progress as a team and sit outside of the playoffs again, but they have also strained their relationship with Reese in the process. Their one certainty for the future is no more.
When Reese expressed her frustrations with the state of the franchise to the Chicago Tribune, the organization suspended her for half a game for “statements detrimental to the team” after she publicly apologized to her teammates. Reese has not played since the suspension, ruled out with a back injury that cost her seven games in July. She is listed as questionable for the Sky’s season finale on Thursday, which will end a disappointing 30-plus-loss season.
It’s possible that Reese simply re-aggravated an existing injury. It’s also possible that Reese has played her last game for Chicago and is ending the season in a silent protest from the bench before requesting a trade in the offseason, even if there is no real precedent for WNBA players asking out this early in their careers.
