After the 2024 WNBA Draft, the Chicago Sky believed they were set up perfectly for the future. With two picks in the top-10, they prioritized size, adding both Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso to their frontcourt.
However, Reese lasted just two seasons in Chicago before getting traded to the Atlanta Dream. One WNBA analyst puts the blame firmly on the organization for mishandling the talent on the roster.
Chicago Sky Will Keep Losing Stars Like Angel Reese
Despite a spectacular rookie season and a strong follow-up while leading the league in rebounding in both years, Reese wasn’t satisfied with the way the Sky were being managed and made her feelings known. As a result, she found her way to the Dream.
It’s safe to say this change of scenery has worked out for her. Averaging 13.6 points and 12.2 rebounds per game, her arrival has led Atlanta to an 8-3 record. Their latest win, though, had to feel extra special for the former LSU product.
Making her return to Chicago, she was able to help the Dream pull out an 82-75 win against her former team. What made this even sweeter was that she had arguably her best game of the season with 17 points and 17 rebounds. The Sky now sit at 4-8, and ESPN analyst Andraya Carter didn’t mince words about the state of the franchise.
“There is 100% a pattern, and the pattern extends beyond Angel Reese and beyond Skylar Diggins. I’m sorry, but it’s so much bigger than the team. This is an organizational issue. There have been so many instances where I feel like Chicago is an unserious organization,” Carter said.
Carter continued, highlighting specific examples of Chicago mismanaging star players.
“It starts at the top. That’s with the owner, Michael Alter, because when you think about it, Sylvia Fowles wanted out of Chicago, Elena Delle Donne wanted out of Chicago. With Candace Parker, Kahleah Copper, and Courtney Vandersloot, they win the championship in 2021. 2022, they go to the semis, and then what happens? Their stars leave, instead of continuing to fight for Chicago,” she explained.
“In 2023, they allow the head coach and the GM, which is James Wade, to leave the team in the middle of the season. July 1, they couldn’t wait till the All-Star break. There are so many things that just don’t sit right with me with the Chicago Sky, and I think it’s bigger than these two stars.”
Reese, in particular, was critical of the Sky during her time there. At one point, she was even suspended for a half for demanding roster improvements.
Carter believes the organization’s history proves that the issues go well beyond Reese, and a dramatic change might be necessary to right the ship.
