When Angel Reese was drafted as the seventh overall pick in this year’s WNBA by the Chicago Sky, it came as a surprise to many. Reese was considered to be a top-notch rival to the number one pick Caitlin Clark and hence, many argued that she deserved a place in the top three. Therefore, fans were a little disappointed by the fact that Reese had signed with the Sky, a team that was eliminated in the first round of playoffs by the Las Vegas Aces.

While Reese dreamt of a bright future and fulfilling her WNBA dreams of taking home the Championship ring, many felt that the Sky which is in its rebuilding phase wasn’t the best match for Reese. And recently, ex-Sky star Marina Mabrey came to the fore to share that now that she is with the Sun, she shares a “championship mindset” for the first time.

Marina Mabrey and the young Chicago Sky

Mabrey divulged before the historic game between the Sun and the Los Angeles Sparks at TD Garden on Tuesday that “being part of a team like this that is so disciplined with a championship mindset, I haven’t been part of that yet,” as per Chicago Sun-Times. She was a part of the Sky camp before being traded to the Sun in July 2024 along with the 2nd round pick from the WNBA 2025 draft in exchange for Rachel Banham and Moriah Jefferson. And her statement resonated with many of Reese’s followers.

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The Chicago Sky won their first and only Championship title in 2021. Post that, unfortunately, the core players left the Sky for other teams. 2023 only amplified this since most of their mainstay stars including Courtney Vandersloot, Allie Quigley, Azurá Stevens, and Candace Parker decided to change their team. This affected their dream of winning the Championship title. To aggravate the situation the Sky’s head coach James Wade also announced his resignation, which was a double whammy for the franchise.

The Sky tried to balance their blows by signing new players Marina Mabrey, Courtney Williams, Elizabeth Williams, and Alanna Smith. However, once the 2024 season commenced, Kahleah Copper, Alanna Smith, Courtney Williams, Astou Ndour-Fall, and Julie Allemand left the Sky in free agency and trade, which was a blow to their dream of standing up again. Plus, Teresa Weatherspoon assumed a coaching role with her first season being the current one. 

Therefore, looking at the roster as well as the coach, the Sky isn’t the perfect place for Reese. They are quite new to the job both in terms of the head coach and when looking at adjusting with each other. The franchise is in its rebuilding phase. Hence, their chances of picking up the title this time are significantly lower than compared to other franchises. At present, they have an 11-16 tally and are ranked at the fourth spot in the Eastern Conference Division which further proves that there are impediments to their paths of winning the title, and this is reflected in their game strategies and plans.

Angel Reese not getting enough support from the Chicago Sky

Plus, Reese though fresh from the NCAA has significantly worked on her skills. She wasn’t expected to dominate the coming into one of the biggest leagues. Even the Louisiana State University Lady Tigers head coach Kim Mulkey had revealed during her college days that Reese was inquisitive about the W and wanted to perform well at the highest level. And her hard work is paying off.

Reese broke Candace Parker’s record of most consecutive double-doubles when she hit 15 in June and July. And now, once the Olympic break is over she has again scored three back-to-back double-doubles in all the three games she has played. Hence, Reese is performing up to the mark, but the team isn’t supporting her well. Despite Reese’s exceptional performances, the Sky has won just one of the three games they have taken part in after the break. Therefore, there seems to be a lack of cohesion and a winning spirit.

One of the biggest causes of worry for the Sky is that they have lost against the Phoenix Mercury by a blowout margin in those two games. While the Mercury scored 86 and 85 points in those two matchups, the Sky could only hit 68 and 65 points, respectively. The difference with which Sky has lost has added more insult to their injury.

While Reese is doing well with her rebounds, on the offensive end the Sky has a low ceiling. The highest scorer for the team has been Chennedy Carter with 16.8 points per game and sure, fans are happy for her, but she isn’t considered one of the best offensive players in the league. Therefore, it was expected that Weatherspoon would groom a player or two who would take the onus on the front court. And that seems to be missing as of now.

Hopefully, Reese will realize this soon and make a decision. She can either choose to stick with the Sky and help Weatherspoon in rebuilding the team, or she can get herself traded to some other franchise where her skills will find equal support from her teammates which will provide the impetus for her to fulfill her dream of bagging the Championship title.

Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.