Angel Reese Throws Chicago Sky HC Under the Bus, His 7-Second Reply Shows Who’s the Boss

“I have options outside the WNBA and I am not afraid to take them if the league doesn’t start valuing its players more,” Angel Reese said. While leaving the league might be a stretch, she’s clearly focused on moving away from the Chicago Sky if her concerns aren’t addressed. The team has been struggling—eliminated from playoff contention in mid-August, missing the playoffs two seasons in a row for the first time since 2017-18, and still searching for a playoff win since 2022. As the seventh overall pick in the 2024 WNBA draft, Reese isn’t happy with how things are going. She’s vocal, frustrated, and ready to make moves.

“I am very vocal about what we need and what I want,” she said. “I’d like to be here for my career, but if things don’t pan out, obviously I might have to move in a different direction and do what’s best for me,” she expressed in an interview with the Chicago Tribune. Her comments come as the team continues to struggle, despite new leadership from former Las Vegas Aces assistant Tyler Marsh, who, Reese believes, should be coaching harder.

However, Marsh didn’t fold. When asked about Reese’s comments on his coaching, the HC kept the focus on staying true to himself and finishing the season strong.

“I think that, you know, everyone is entitled to feel how they feel. The most important thing is staying authentic and genuine to who I am and letting that translate in whatever way it translates. But the overarching theme is that none of us are happy with where we’re at in terms of our record. That’s the core of the frustration, organizationally. We just have to keep pushing to finish the season strong and lay the foundation moving forward, seeing this season beyond just wins and losses,” he asserted in the post-game conference.

The Chicago Sky have been on a rollercoaster since their 2022 semifinals exit, cycling through three head coaches, watching stars request trades, and seeing top free agents sign elsewhere. Stability has been a rare commodity until Tyler Marsh arrived last year. Marsh, who cut his teeth under Becky Hammon with the Las Vegas Aces, brings championship experience and a clear vision. Unlike Teresa Weatherspoon, who emphasized defense and struggled to get buy-in beyond the stars, Marsh is unapologetically offense-minded. “When you’re trying to re-establish what things will look like, I think he’s great for the job,” veteran center Elizabeth Williams said at Marsh’s first press conference.

Marsh’s focus is simple: shooting. He made it clear at his first press conference, nodding toward Rachel Banham and Michaela Onyenwere, “Shooting. We want shooting. And lots of it.” Last season, the Sky averaged less than five threes per game, finishing at the bottom of the league in offensive rating. Marsh’s work in Las Vegas helped Jackie Young become a three-point threat– her attempts jumped from 0.6 to 3.4 per game, and her percentage from 25% to 43%.

Now, he’s set on helping Sky players become consistent outside threats, all while building a culture that values every role player. “We want everybody to know their value,” Marsh said.

Reese, in particular, has flourished under Marsh. After a rough start to the season, she’s averaging 14.7 points, 12.6 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 30 games this season. Marsh’s approach is methodical: “There’s probably not a spot on the floor where I haven’t used her yet, and we’ll continue to do so.”

What sets Marsh apart isn’t just strategy but timing and mentorship. He took his first call from the Sky knowing he wouldn’t rush into a head-coaching job. “It had to be with an organization and a situation under the right management that had to make sense for me. It had to be a good fit, and that’s what I felt in Chicago,” he said. The front office, led by GM Jeff Pagliocca, supports him fully, hoping to end the coaching carousel and build a long-term foundation.

Marsh’s vision is clear: expand Reese’s role, spread the floor, develop shooting, and create a culture where every player knows their worth. In a league where many young stars are pigeonholed, Marsh is giving Reese and the Sky the chance to rewrite their story, however it seems Reese is not satisfied.

Reese apologizes amid Sky struggles and free agency questions

Angel Reese had a huge night on Wednesday, dropping 18 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Chicago Sky past the Connecticut Sun 88-64, snapping a four-game skid. But the bigger story came after the game, when she addressed comments she made to the Chicago Tribune earlier in the day.

“I probably am frustrated [with] myself right now,” Reese said. “I think the language is taken out of context. I really didn’t intentionally mean to put down my teammates, because they’ve been through this with me throughout the whole year.” She added, “So, I want to apologize to my teammates, which I already have about the article and how it was misconstrued about what was said. And I just have to be better with my language.”

Reese, just 23 and under contract through 2026 with a team option for 2027, hasn’t set down firm roots in Chicago and has made it clear she’s weighing her options. “We need great players, and I don’t know what will attract that,” she said. “Maybe the practice facility will attract that, we’ll see. But the priority is being able to convince [free agents] that this is an organization that is going in the right direction.”

With free agency looming, Reese and fellow rookie Kamilla Cardoso may be the only untouchables on the roster—and Reese isn’t shy about sending a message: if things don’t change, she could be considering her next move.