Throughout Angel Reese’s basketball career, she has always been a winner. She won championships in high school and with the LSU Tigers in the NCAA. Unfortunately, that form hasn’t materialised during her first two seasons in the WNBA. Consequently, fans are now beginning to question if Reese should continue to play this season.
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Typically, teams with high draft picks are in those positions because they were bad. The Chicago Sky don’t necessarily fit that criteria. The year before drafting Reese (2024), they had made the playoffs. Unfortunately, they couldn’t replicate that success in her rookie season.
Chicago finished with a 13-27 record, which was ninth in the league. A season later, things haven’t gotten much better. Currently, the Sky hold a 7-19 record, which is the second-worst record in the league. Although they aren’t eliminated from postseason contention, it would take a miracle for them to turn their season around.
As a result, fans believe it may be best to simply focus their attention to the 2026 WNBA Draft. The most effective course of action would be to guarantee as high a draft pick as possible. With Reese on the court, that goal is in jeopardy. Experts surrounding the league shut that notion down immediately.
“You, as the franchise player of that team, are going to want to do what you can do for your team when you’re healthy,” Ari Chambers said on WNBA Hoop Streams. “I’m not sitting out if I’m Angel.”
Reese’s track record displays how high her competitive nature is. It won’t be an easy feat to convince the two-time All-Star to sit out for the rest of the season. The only avenue that features Reese not suiting up for the Sky again this season would be due to injury.
Unfortunately, that is the reality Reese lives in. The Sky star has missed the last two games because of a back injury. The organization interestingly doesn’t seem too worried about the injury, but is taking precautionary measures with their franchise star.
Another year of poor performances isn’t simply going to cut it for the Sky. Before anyone begins to get any clever ideas, however, Chambers states that Reese is safe in Chicago.
“If it’s time for her to go, where is she going? This is the future of their franchise. She’s a double-double machine and has made history as a sophomore in this league,” Chambers proclaimed.
It would be unprecedented for the Sky to give up on Reese so early in her career. Her impact isn’t just on the court. She is one of the biggest names and brands in the WNBA. Reese on the court sells tickets, which is a valuable asset the team won’t want to part with easily.
Winning doesn’t have to be the sole determinant of a successful season. “One of the beauties of this season has been watching Angel Reese blossom as a player,” LaChina Robinson said.
Reese is averaging 14.2 points and 12.6 rebounds per game while improving her efficiency from 39% in her rookie season to 44% this year. She continues to show a steady trajectory of improvement, which is a scary sight for the rest of the league.
The Sky may not be a good team right now, but they have the tools to build a solid foundation. Between Reese, Kamilla Cardoso and Hailey Van Lith, they could be a force to reckon with in a few years.
