The Chicago Sky as an organization do not deserve Angel Reese

Sept 19 2025 1:48PM UTC

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So, I’m driving my daughters home after a game along with one of their teammates (Shout out to Bishop McNamara Girls Volleyball team undefeated in conference play) and I turn on Sirius XM to drown out the chatter of teenage girls, which most dads who drive carpools can definitely relate to.

But then, they all grew quiet as they heard a clip of Angel Reese talking

"I’m not settling for the same s*** we did this year," Reese told Julia Poe of the Chicago Tribune recently. “We have to get good players. We have to get great players. That’s a non-negotiable for me. I’m willing and wanting to play with the best. And however I can help to get the best here, that’s what I’m going to do this offseason. So it’s going to be very, very important this offseason to make sure we attract the best of the best because we can’t settle for what we have this year."

"I am very vocal about what we need and what I want," Reese said. "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. 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."

Then they played the Angel Reese Apology when she said:

“I’m frustrated at myself right now,” Reese admitted to several reporters after the game. “I think the language is taken out of context. I really didn’t intentionally mean to put down my teammates. They’ve been through this with me throughout the whole year. They’ve busted their ass just how I’ve busted my ass. They showed up for me through thick and thin when nobody could see anything.”

Then, they head a clip a podcaster by the name of Jason Whitlock going on and on about Angel Reese. He was saying something to the effect of….

"Who does Angel Reese think she is ? LeBron James ? Kevin Durant ? James Harden ? She thinks after two seasons in the WNBA, she is some sort of commodity that has to be surrounded by the best and greatest players. Angel Reese is delusional.

This did not sit very well with any of them. They responded with:

“I know she didn’t answer that the best way but who is he and who does he think he is ? Where did he play”

Then Baby Sierra googled him and said:

“I know he’s not talking. He doesn’t look like he played anything ever in his life. Is he healthy ? He needs to be more focused on laying off the carbs and late night snacks than criticizing Angel Reese”

Then, they heard another clip by former WNBA player Angel McCoughtry who said,

“You know what I would do Angel ? I would get one of my endorsements, say give me an extra $100,000 so I can give all my teammates $10,000 just to show them I care”

Addy, who is one of the best DS’s in the DMV, said

“I don’t agree with that at all. That would seem like she is trying to buy their forgiveness. I understand she shouldn’t have talked bad about her teammates to the media but she doesn’t have to do all that. That’s too much. Just a simple I’m sorry should suffice”

I told them that I knew Angel McCoughtry and had interviewed her a few years ago so I was going to reach out to her and invite her on The Collision because I’m sure there is more to it than that quote (which I later did)

https://youtu.be/2duds7CIB4I

This prompted an entire discussion about the media and how players have to be careful because the media loves to pit players against each other.

I told them how that ignited a beef between two of my former teammates Kwame Brown and Gilbert Arenas that is still going on today.

I explained to them how RG3 fumbled when the media asked him if he would be more effective if he had more protection and he unfortunately took the bait and criticized his offensive line and ultimately lost the team.

I broke down how as a rule of thumb, you never, ever criticize your teammates to the media. You can criticize them all you want in the locker room but never to the media. We even ran through a few practice scenarios and I tried to set them up the way the media tries to set up players.

So, a few days later Addy comes in the car and says

“Mr Thomas, did you see they suspended Angel Reese ? That’s not worthy of a suspension. They said conduct detrimental to the team”

Imani chimed in with:

“You treat your superstar player like that ? It’s almost like they were trying to embarrass her. I don’t think that organization deserves Angel Reese”

Baby Sierra said:

“Half a game ? So not a full game but just half ? They are blowing me bro !!! Why would they do that ? Just to make her look bad ? It may be time for her to leave Chicago. In fact, she should go to Vegas. Her with Aja Wilson ? They would be unstoppable and Aja could show her the ropes like train her up. But no they definitely don’t deserve Angel Reese”

All valid points made by the entire carpool.

Ok a lot to unpack here:

First and foremost, while I agree that Angel Reese broke a cardinal rule which is that you simply don’t criticize your own teammates to the media, was that worthy of a suspension ? For conduct detrimental to the team ? Is that how you treat a superstar player ?

As expressed in the carpool, It does appear as though the Chicago Sky were attempting to embarrass Angel Reese. To reprimand her in the public as they are fully aware that her critics are literally salivating at any and every opportunity to lambaste her. It was almost as if they were intentionally attempting to set her up for public condemnation , media bashing and social media slander.

However, those plans seemed to have quickly backfired. Following the announcement of her suspension, a groundswell of online support flooded social media as many fans began to voice their backing of Angel Reese, and subsequently their criticisms for the Chicago Sky’s management. Many fans suspected that the Sky were unfairly retaliating against Angel Reese for simply telling the truth. That her claims of the organization’s shortcomings, which included inadequate facilities, a losing record and a mismanagement of their existing roster, resulted in swift retribution by the Chicago Sky organization.

Some fans pointed out that other players, such as leading MVP candidate Aja Wilson, had also criticized her team publicly but faced no consequences.

The line in the sand had been drawn. At the Chicago sky’s final home game, fans actually held up signs that read Free Angel Reese and Fire Jeff Pagliocca who is the GM of the Organization. It was crystal clear who the fans in attendance were siding with.

All across social media there were correlations being made that the treatment of Angel Reese was a microcosm of a larger systemic problem within society where

Black Women, in particular, are often disproportionately over policed for speaking their minds.

Exhibit A: Washington Post reporter Karen Attiah was actually fired for voicing her opinion on Charlie Kirk who projected evil through a microphone of hate. Whose rapid fire bullets of wickedness somehow comforted the soul of a demographic that wrapped their arms around his wickedness like a warm blanket, but I digress

Debates also began to flood social media of which destinations would be best for Angel Reese next WNBA season. Some voiced that they would love to see her paired with rookie of the year Paige Bueckers, while others even suggested her taking her talents to Indiana to be paired with her created nemesis Caitlin Clark.

At any rate, It’s seems like a forgone conclusion that a new destination for Angel Reese should be her top priority in the off-season. Someplace that will value her and treat her with the dignity and respect that is deserving of an All star caliber player.

However, this squandering of talent isn’t anything new for the Chicago Sky Organization. They have been mismanaging WNBA players for quite awhile now.

https://youtu.be/orL6EjEqmjQ

As co founder of the Daily “W” and host of “Let Her Shoot” and “Heat Check” Trysta Krick recently broke down on my podcast The Collision “Where Sports And Politics Collide” The Chicago Sky had…..

•Hall of Famer Sylvia Fowels who was there in 2015 who was reportedly frustrated with the front office and with the lack of a championship vision and demands a trade

•Elena Della Donne who was the first 50, 40, 90 player in WNBA history, was drafted there but requested a trade after her rookie deal

•Candace Parker who is from Chicago, goes there, wins a ring, then wants to leave.

•Gabbie Williams who wanted to play for the Euro league and James Wade, granted permission to go and miss training camp. However, after she went there, The Sky for whatever reason changed their minds and decided to suspend her according to the story she told Sue Bird on her podcast.

•Marina Mayberry discussed internal racial tensions in the organization that led to her no longer wanting to be there

•Courtney Vanderslooth also wanted out after playing there for over a decade

•Kaleah Copper ended up getting traded

•Courtney Williams ended up getting traded

Trysta Kirk told me:

https://youtu.be/orL6EjEqmjQ?si=QYaU3fKmzHvHW40G

“There are so many players that could be on the team right now but elected to leave the Chicago Sky due to their issues with the organization. Could you imagine a Chicago team with Kaleah Copper, Angel Reese, Marina Mayberry, Kamilah Cardoza. That’s a championship caliber roster. But they have a history of squandering away talent”

Now, back to Angel Reese.

If she would’ve said to the media “We” have to get better as a team and “We”can’t have the type of season we had this year and “We” have a lot of work to do in the offseason and “We” have to put ourselves in the best position to be successful, there wouldn’t have been any issue.

But that aside, it’s difficult not to notice that now, roughly a month later, GM Jeff Pagliocca repeated to the media almost the same exact thing verbatim that he suspended Angel Reese for saying.

“We know that [Vandersloot] is not going to be playing 38 minutes a game,” Pagliocca said during the exit interview. “We’re going to need somebody to be here and be capable of playing that position if she’s not ready.”

This sends a crystal clear message to Angel Reese. Basically, It’s not that I disagree with anything that you said, in fact, I’m going to repeat what you said as if it were my idea but I’m going to publicly reprimand you for the exact same thing I am going to say just because I can.

Maybe the fans holding the “Fire Jeff” signs have a point.

Let’s examine his time time served as General Manager of the Sky.

The last two seasons have been rather abysmal to say the least, for the Chicago Sky. In the two seasons combined, the Sky have mustard a measly 23 wins (and yes that’s in both seasons combined). Meaning they have lost over 60 games under two different head coaches. They finished dead last in the WNBA despite having a pair of 2024, All-Star rookies in forwards Angel Reese and center Kamilla Cardoso. In addition, this year‘s rookies Haley Van Lith, and forward Maddie Westbeld have had difficult seasons, despite being exceptional talents.

To add to that, Pagliocca elected to fire Teresa Weatherspoon whose connection to Angel Reese prompted her to voice her disapproval of the decision to the media.

Angel Reese told reporters that she was "heartbroken" and "lost for words," and that Weatherspoon was the "only person that believed" in her as a Black Woman in sports, and called Weatherspoon an “unsung hero" Angel Reese also shared a heartfelt message of support on social media, stating that her relationship with Weatherspoon was “formative” and "will last forever" and that the coach did not deserve to be fired.

If your star player feels that strongly about the head coach, why would you fire her in the first place ?

Lastly, Pagliocca fumbled in the draft as well. The Sky secured the 3rd overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft and Sonia Citron aka The Silent Assassin was available, but Pagliocca passed on her. Now, who knows what season she would’ve had if she had joined the Sky. Again Haily Van Lith in a different system more than likely would’ve flourished. Meanwhile, this past season with The Washington Mystics, who drafted The Silent Assassin, she became an immediate sensation. Named a WNBA all star and came in 2nd in Rookie of the year voting to Paige Bueckers.

A case could be made that Pagliocca’s drafting decisions were detrimental to the organization’s future (see what I did there) in that he traded Citron’s draft rights to the Washington Mystics for a player with one year left on her deal. So, the Sky ended up paying more for veteran Ariel Atkins, and will most likely lose her this off-season for nothing.

But wait, there’s more.

In addition to giving up Citron, the Chicago Sky also gave up their 2027 first round picks. So if Chicago’s first round pick ends up being higher than The Mystics first round pick in two years, then this trade is even more detrimental to the organization.

The Chicago Sky currently have several players who are free agents. Almost double digits, and you have the gall to treat your star player as dispensable? You’re gonna publicly reprimand her for telling the truth about your organization? You’re going to attempt to embarrass her in front of the entire basketball world and expect her to want to return to the same organization that treated her that way?

Not to mention the marketing fumble. Reebok released the first edition of the highly anticipated Angel Reese 1- her first signature shoe on September 18th and it sold out in minutes.

For a team that is literally at the bottom of the barrel as far as their record, you would think they would embrace a player with that type of marketability and utilize it through advertisements, endorsements, like every NBA team does with their superstars. They’re across billboards, on side of buses, bobble head dolls, t shirts for every attendee with her signature shoe on it, Bayou Barbie dolls passed out at the games, made her feel that she would never want to even think about playing for another franchise

But they didn’t do that.

And as expressed by Bishop McNamara Volleyball Team Carpool:

“You don’t treat your superstar player like that”

“You don’t try to publicly embarrass your all star player”

“You don’t try to set your superstar player up to be bombarded with criticism”

And that’s why…..

“The Chicago Sky don’t deserve Angel Reese”

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Chicago Sky

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