Sky reveal their Angel Reese ‘direction’ after drama

For now, there is no switch-up for Angel Reese in her early WNBA career.

When asked Friday about the Sky’s relationship with the two-time All-Star as their season came to an end, Sky general manager Jeff Pagliocca said that “until I hear differently, that’s the direction we’re going to move, is that she’s on the roster.”

Reese, who was the No. 7 overall in the 2024 draft, was suspended by the Sky for one half of Sunday’s game after recent comments she made to the Chicago Tribune that the organization declared were “detrimental to the team.”

In the interview with the Tribune, the LSU product vowed that she would not be “settling for the same s–t we did this year,” and she acknowledged potentially doing “what’s best for me” if something didn’t change.

Given Pagliocca’s response, the possibility of a Reese trade is still on the table going into the offseason.

Reese did not take the court after the suspension, and the Sky listed her with a back injury for their final three games. The move sparked concern that the relationship between the two was beyond repair.

Pagliocca dispelled that narrative on Friday.

“Angel is an ascending young talent in this league who’s had two very, very good seasons here in Chicago,” Pagliocca said. “Obviously, we went through what we did. I feel like we closed the chapter on it. She spoke to her teammates. She spoke publicly. We moved on as a team. She’s a special player. And I have good conversations with Angel daily, with her team daily. They’re constant, and they’re productive.”

Reese has since apologized publicly and privately to her team.

Just hours after Chicago’s season finished on Thursday in a 91-86 loss to the Liberty, Reese boarded a private jet for a postseason trip.

Reese has two years left on her rookie contract before becoming a restricted free agent.

However, this offseason is expected to see quite the shakeup within the WNBA.

The WNBA and the WNBPA are in the middle of negotiations over a new CBA with an Oct. 31 deadline. Players are looking for increased salaries, a higher percentage of revenue share, improved facilities and benefits.

As a result, many players are signed on one-year contracts this season, which will likely bring a free agency frenzy as well as challenges in delegating players to the expansion teams in Toronto and Portland.

The Sky have struggled the past two years, going 13-27 in Reese’s rookie year, which led to the firing of coach Teresa Weatherspoon after just one season at the helm. This year didn’t prove any better, finishing tied for the worst record in the league at 10-34.

The Sky went 1-13 without Reese this season. In both of her years in Chicago, the team has missed the playoffs.

Across 30 games this season, Reese averaged 14.7 points and 12.6 rebounds. She was the WNBA’s season leader in rebounds per game for the second straight year.