“We’ve got to be better across the board, and that’s kind of the bottom line.” Head coach Tyler Marsh’s locker room is on a rollercoaster. With just two wins under their belt, the Chicago Sky has been dishing out some of the worst performances this season. Despite Angel Reese reigning the leaderboard in the rebounds department, her team has been dwindling with an array of losses on their belt.

And amidst all the ensuing chaos is the upcoming WNBA All-Star. Every popular athlete from the league looks to compete for a spot in the All-Star. And this season, Angel Reese became the latest player to join the club. Despite national analyst Ros Gold-Onwude dismissing the Sky guard as a superstar for not being the face of the franchise yet, how can you deny the large fanbase of the athlete? And guess what? These fans and her popularity are exactly the factors that the Chicago Sky athlete is banking on.

Having said that, Reese dropped a silent request on her social media account. Instead of writing long, emotional, or elaborate captions, egging people to vote, all she did was repost a story on her official Instagram account for her fans and followers to see. Our Chi-town barbie can be seen featured on a pink poster in her Sky jersey. Underneath the poster are the words, “Vote Angel for All-Star!” 

The post was originally shared by PlaymakerW, who captioned Reese’s poster with, “All-Star voting is now open. Link in bio.” Indicating where to vote for the athlete, the website provided a link on their social media handle. They further urged the fans to complete the deed. The WNBA All-Star is one of the biggest annual exhibition events for the league. Here, starters are selected on the basis of votes. The maximum voting weightage of 50% lies with the fans, followed by media and other players at 25% each.

The games feature the most popular athletes and the best performers. It includes several events like the three-point contest and the skills challenge. Having said that, the annual mid-season event also includes several team-building exercises and fan-based as well as community-based events. The first event was held 26 years ago and has become a tradition for the league. In fact, last year saw approximately 16,407 spectators at the Footprint Center Arena, Phoenix for the event.

While still a rookie, Angel Reese had a remarkable run during last year. She became the first rookie to record a double-double in in an All-Star Game. Moreover, with 12 points and 11 rebounds within 18 minutes of court time, established Reese as a queen of rebounds. She also became the league’s first rookie to score the maximum number of rebounds in just three minutes of All-Star. Her formidable energy and performance during the All-Star earned her the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Month in June.

On the other hand, Alisha Gray broke a historic record as she earned 2024 WNBA Starry 3-Point Contest and the WNBA Skills Challenge. Meanwhile, Arike Ogunbowale added 34 points and was crowned the 2024 WNBA All-Star MVP. Other players that participated include Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston, A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, Diana Taurasi, Sabrina Ionescu, and more. Clark set a new record as the first rookie to make the most number of assists in an All-Star game. 10 dimes to be precise.

Moreover, Reese propelled her team towards a victory as Team WNBA overpowered Team USA with 117-109. With voting lines officially open, fans are eligible to vote for their favorite athlete through official league’s website. As Indiana Fever will host the upcoming event in Gainbridge Fieldhouse arena, athletes from Kamilla Cardoso and Paige Bueckers to Marina Mabrey and Cameron Brink are up for the voting.

With final votes to be announced by July 08, 2025, fans can vote for up to 10 athletes of their choice, including 6 front court players and 4 guards. Though we have rookies in the running to participate this season, Angel Reese had set a benchmark for the upcoming rookies with her stellar performance in 2024 All-Star. And as Reese shares the silent story on social media, indicating her eagerness to participate, Chicago Sky’s future looks bleak in the upcoming regular games.

Chicago Sky Head Coach Tyler Marsh and teammate stand in support of Angel Reese

“No, I think that we struggled as a team. I don’t think Angel struggled tonight, I think we struggled as a team.” Chicago Sky head coach Tyler Marsh addressed Reese’s performance in the game against Indiana Fever. While Reese has been pinned by fans as an easy online target to be blamed for Chicago Sky’s losing streak so far, head coach Marsh came in support of the star and cleared the air in a post-game interview.

Moreover, Reese opened up about the online trolling and abuse that she suffered after the second Fever-Sky game came to a close. And while she was expressing herself in a press meet, Ariel Atkins took the center stage and defended her. “This is a 23-year-old kid. And the amount of crap that she gets on a day-to-day, she still shows up,” Atkins said. “So, whatever questions y’all got about our team, basketball-wise, we appreciate it. But all the other nonsense, like, it’s irrelevant. We’re here to play basketball and do what we do.” 

And while other players do not get the same scrutiny as Reese, it is also probably because the fans expect so much more from the athlete. The Chi-town Barbie has immense potential to lead the Sky. Marsh has acknowledged it. And she is aware of the fact too. But as the roster undergoes a rebuilding phase with the new head coach, Marsh & Co. need to urgently swim out of their miseries and onto the brighter side.