As the regular season drew to a close, most people in the league were talking about the incredible achievements accomplished this year. From A’ja Wilson becoming the first player ever to record a 30-point, 20-rebounds game, to Napheesa Collier joining Elena Delle Donne in this elusive 50-40-90 club for the season, records were being broken left, right, and center. Another player who broke not one but three WNBA records this season was Angel Reese. However, despite all these record-breaking performances, all the talk surrounding Angel Reese is: will she leave the Chicago Sky? Two WNBA reporters have recently weighed in on the matter. 

“I’m not settling for the same sh– we did this year.” Just as these comments from Angel Reese’s interview came out on September 3rd, things have been uncomfortable, to say the least, in Chicago. What’s made things even worse is that since the interview, Angel Reese has not played a game. Day by day, the rumors of Angel Reese moving from Chicago are getting traction. However, even if Chicago were to trade Angel, or she were to demand a trade, according to WNBA reporters, the issues and questions being raised about the Chicago Sky’s front office will not disappear simply by trading away Angel Reese. 

In the latest episode of the We Need To Talk podcast, Erica Ayala said, “She wants it to be better, and there are things that she identified and things, quite honestly, that other people have identified in the past. We know that this is an organization that has run across issues and superstars. They’ve lost because of some of the things Reese said. So, it’s a very delicate balance, I think right now. And I just don’t see the organization, I should say, doesn’t have a history necessarily of handling some of these things.”

If you think Angel Reese’s case is the first time a star player has clashed with the Chicago front office, it’s not. Unfortunately, the Chicago Sky has an unwanted reputation for fumbling star players. Former WNBA legend Candace Parker has also criticized the organization. In a podcast with Draymond Green, Candace Parker disclosed that during her time with the Chicago Sky, she did not have her own locker or a facility where she could put up some shots in her downtime.

Reiterating that point, Alicia Jay said, “Sylvia Fowles is one of those players who actually sat out because of what was going on in the organization in order to be moved and get traded. Elena Della Donne is one of those players.” 

After being drafted by the Chicago Sky as the second overall pick, Sylvia Fowles spent six incredibly dominant seasons there. However, while she enjoyed plenty of individual success, the team was unable to compete for championships. Therefore, in the 2014 offseason, she demanded a trade. Things between her and the Sky got so sour that Fowles threatened to sit out a season if she was not traded to her preferred destination, the Minnesota Lynx. After sitting out the first half of the 2015 WNBA season, she was finally moved to the Lynx, where she won 2 championships and won the finals MVP both times.

The Chicago Sky’s issues with the star players asking to be moved did not end with Fowles. Just a couple of years down the line, Elena Delle Donne also asked to be traded. While Fowles spent six years with the team, Donne asked to be moved while still being on her rookie contract. Early on in the 2017 WNBA season, Elena was signed and traded to the Washington Mystics. While Sylvia Fowles demanded a trade to compete for championships, Elena’s reason was to be close to her family and focus on her health.

Alicia Jay further elaborated on the issue, saying, “Kahleah Copper, Gabby Williams, and Courtney Williams. There’s actually a clip going around where she talked about just the conditions of having to practice and, where they were living and those types of things. And so, when it comes to what Angel Reese is saying about the organization, this is something that has been going on for years that needs to be addressed.”

Courtney Williams was asked on her StudBudz live-stream in June 2025 if she would want to return to the Chicago Sky. She immediately made a gesture signaling a clear no. While elaborating, she explained the scenarios the team had to go through for training. She said that the team trained at a nearby YMCA, and there were a lot of interruptions while training. Courtney also mentioned that she did not even have her own locker. Another shocking revelation came out that the team only provided them with day rooms. If a player wished to stay the night, they would have to pay for that out of their own pocket.

In a league where players don’t really get to have a lot of time to train and practice together, the facilities need to be top-notch to ensure that the little time they do get is utilized properly. When a legend like Candace Parker, who is from Chicago and won a championship with her home team, makes such revelations, you know that things are desperately poor. However, it seems like the Sky ownership is at least trying to change the narrative and finally invest in the team. But will that be enough to retain a star like Angel Reese?

Will the Chicago Sky’s new facility convince Angel Reese to stay?

After witnessing the growth the WNBA showed in 2024, the investment in the league has significantly increased. Not only are there five new teams added by 2030, but the existing teams have also increased their investment in the team. Although the Chicago Sky has a poor reputation when it comes to facilities, their announcement in July 2024 is a step in the right direction. On July 26, 2024, the Chicago Sky announced plans to build a new practice facility.

This new facility will be located next to the Wintrust Sports Complex and will cover over 40,000 square feet. As per the plans revealed by the team, the facility will consist of two regulation-sized basketball courts, private facilities for players, a content creation studio, a chef’s kitchen, beauty stations, and more. All in all, the cost of this project is $38 million, and the facility is expected to be operational by the 2026 WNBA season.

However, after all the drama between Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky, the question must be asked: Is this facility going to help convince Angel Reese to stay in the Windy City? At the beginning of the 2025 season, when asked about Chicago’s lack of ability to attract star players, Angel Reese had claimed that “once we have that practice facility, everyone’s gonna want to come to Chicago.” However, after the dismal season they had, that mood seems to have changed. While Reese and many fans expected the Sky to take a leap this year, they finished the season with a worse record than Angel Reese’s rookie year.

Till now, there has been no confirmation that Angel Reese has asked for a trade. However, in the interview with the Chicago Tribune, she did hint at the possibility of going in a different direction if the team didn’t improve. And with the kind of support she has received from the basketball community, if she moves to a different team, it would further ruin the Chicago Sky’s reputation.

For all the Chicago Sky fans’ sake, let’s hope they do. Let’s hope that Angel Reese’s prediction about the practice facility attracting quality free agents in the off-season comes true. A talent like Angel Reese deserves to compete at the highest level, and the Chicago Sky must do everything to make that happen.