The relationship between Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky deteriorated after she criticized the franchise in an interview back in September.
Reese was suspended by the Sky for half a game, with the forward apologizing to her teammates, whom she seemingly threw under the bus.
Fast forward to April 6, the Sky parted ways with Reese after just two seasons. They traded her to the Atlanta Dream in exchange for two first-round picks in 2027 and 2028.
What Did Reese Say in September?
GettyAngel Reese #5 of the Chicago Sky looks on against the Atlanta Dream during the first quarter at Gateway Center Arena on June 13, 2025 in College Park, Georgia.
One of the players named by Reese on her interview with The Chicago Tribune’s Julia Poe was veteran guard Courtney Vandersloot. She suffered a torn ACL in her right knee in June and was ruled out for the rest of the season.
Reese had nothing but respect for Vandersloot’s leadership, but she told Poe that she didn’t want to rely on the veteran guard to be their primary playmaker for the 2026 WNBA season.
“We can’t rely on Courtney to come back at the age that she’s at,” Reese said. “I know she’ll be a great asset for us, but we can’t rely on that. 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.”
Reese also mentioned backup guards like Rachel Banham and Hailey Van Lith, saying that they aren’t the answer to the Sky’s problem if they want to be competitive in a setting like the playoffs.
Former Sky Teammate Finally Responds to Reese
GettyKamilla Cardoso #10, Kia Nurse #11, Courtney Vandersloot #22, Ariel Atkins #7 and Angel Reese #5 of the Chicago Sky huddle against the New York Liberty during the second half at Wintrust Arena on May 22, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois.
While Reese had a valid point, it wasn’t well-received by some of her teammates. Vandersloot finally opened up about Reese’s remarks in an interview with Julia Poe during training camp on Tuesday.
“I’ll say it didn’t feel good,” Vandersloot said. “I think at first it was an emotional thing, you know? There was an emotional response to it. And the more I think about it, I understand what she was trying to say. Do I think that it was necessary she said that? No. I think that was the biggest thing for me.”
She added, “But it was more big picture for me because I didn’t even really know the comments that she said about me until way later in the day. I just thought that it could have been handled differently.”
Vandersloot signed a two-year, $1.5 million contract with the Sky this offseason.
Reese Grateful to the Sky
Despite how their relationship ended, Reese appreciated the time she spent with the Sky in her first two seasons in the WNBA. She explained in her introductory press conference over the weekend how grateful she was for Chicago, but she’s looking forward to playing for the Dream.
“I’m always gonna be grateful for that because I did experience a lot of great things,” Reese said, via Charles Odum of The Associated Press. “I enjoyed being able to grow within my first two years, but I wanted more. I love to win, I love to compete and I wanted to be surrounded by people that can make me better.”
Reese is set to team up with a loaded roster that consists of Allisha Gray, Rhyne Howard, Naz Hillmon and Brionna Jones.
Angel Reese Receives Message From Chicago Sky Veteran Guard