Angel Reese’s Chicago Sky Struggles Show Why Caitlin Clark Is Simply in a Class of Her Own – Analyst

Chicago’s season hasn’t gone anywhere near what GM Jeff Pagliuca had envisioned when he said, “We’re always going to be in win-now mode.” Big names like Ariel Atkins, Courtney Vandersloot, and Kia Nurse were brought in, plus first-year head coach Tyler Marsh from the Las Vegas Aces. But the results? No playoffs and one of the worst records in the league at 10-31.

Now, what’s happening in Chicago right now feels like something straight out of a Tarantino script. Angel Reese is done being on the losing side, and she shook things up when she told the Chicago Tribune, “I’m not settling for the same s−−− we did this year. We have to get good players. We have to get great players. That’s a non-negotiable for me.” Everyone already knew the Sky needed better players, but no one thought Reese would be the one to say it out loud, with no filters at that. The result? A storm of criticism from fans and analysts alike.

The Fumble’s Rodney Rikai wasn’t exactly impressed by Reese’s comments. Even though Samaira Hamilton acknowledged that this is Reese’s second year and that she’s leading her team in points, rebounds, and assists, she still hasn’t played in the playoffs like Caitlin Clark. Rikai, however, saw things in a completely different light.

His simple answer to Samaira? “You know why? ‘Cause Caitlin Clark is that deal. Because Caitlin Clark was first team All-WNBA”. He further clarified how he is not trying to compare a point guard and a forward, but is trying to put together the bigger picture that people tend to ignore at times. “So this is not apples to apples. This is like comparing Steph Curry to Draymond Green. It’s two different roles. They got two different roles. Caitlin Clark is like Steph Curry. Angel’s… Angel’s Draymond Green,” he said. There’s more to the comparison, though, than just different fruits in different baskets.

Rikai’s statement hints at one thing that Dwayne Wade had said before. “Draymond Green’s career would not be talked about him as an individual player. It would be talked about him as a winner, as a team player, as a leader, all these things.” Stephen Curry, on the other hand, is usually upheld as the superstar who raises the ceiling, who can dictate wins all alone. As Tom Haberstroh once wrote, “You can pluck All-Star after All-Star off the court like flower petals, and the Steph-led Warriors will still dominate like a champion. He’s that transcendent of a player“.

Now, basketball is never a matter of individuality. And in Reese’s defense, she has improved several parts of her game in just her second season and carried the team on her shoulders with Kamilla Cardoso. But as per Rikai, before she can criticize others, she needs to do more. What she is doing now is simply not enough. For Rikai, one standard applies to every athlete, no matter their position. Can they elevate a team into true contenders? So, Rikai gave his verdict, saying, “There are people who have the ability to impact winning, and right now, Angel Reese is not one of those players in your second year, which is fine. You can get better, but don’t start stinking up the aura of the locker room with your frustration.”

Another problem with Reese’s remarks was that they didn’t just target the front office; they took aim at some of her teammates, too. Reporter Annie Costabile of Front Office Sports noted that a few players weren’t pleased. Reese openly questioned whether Courtney Vandersloot’s age, along with the contributions of Rachel Banham and Hailey Van Lith, really fit the mold of a playoff-ready roster, sparking a team meeting in response. She even added that the head coach needed to coach harder. To Rikai, this only presented a deeper concern: Reese might be eroding the locker room culture before she’s even fully proven herself.

To build any winning culture, you first have to establish chemistry with your teammates. As Paige Bueckers said after her first game, “You’ve got to have a foundation to build on.” Look at the Fever for comparison. Game after game, players have had each other’s backs. Aliyah Boston and Sophie Cunningham have stepped up countless times to defend Caitlin Clark and keep her out of heated exchanges with the officials. The team’s culture is on full display when you see players like Aari McDonald and Odyssey Sims seamlessly step in, ensuring the Fever stay in the playoff hunt even without Clark on the floor.

So you can see where Rikai is coming from. Clark could have easily demanded more from her team, given that they’re not having the season they hoped for with a 22-20 record, or asked for better players. Instead, she showed up every day, supporting and cheering on her teammates. Kelsey Mitchell’s huddle-saying of “All we got, all we need” tells you exactly what you need to know about their grit and unity. Locker room culture is why they have stayed afloat, eyeing a playoff spot, despite having the most inconsistent season out of all teams.

But are her comments being taken out of context? Her recent statements do suggest that she might be dealing with unwanted criticism from both the media and fans alike.

Angel Reese apologizes for her interview

This season has been a personal breakthrough for Angel Reese. She did what few expected, boosting her shooting efficiency from 39.1% to 45.8%. Her playmaking has also taken a leap, averaging 3.7 assists per game compared to 1.9 last season. Naturally, frustration builds when your team is languishing in the bottom half of the table, but Reese has already acknowledged it and issued an apology.

“I don’t think I’m frustrated, I’m probably am frustrated at myself right now. I think the language is taken out of context and I really didn’t intentionally mean to put down my teammates. I want to apologize to my teammates, which I already have about the article,” she said.

There’s nothing wrong with demanding change. Just look back at A’ja Wilson’s comments after that brutal 111-58 loss to the Minnesota Lynx: “If you weren’t embarrassed from yesterday, then don’t come into this gym.” Strong words, but they lit a fire under the Aces. The result? A 13-game winning streak since that very night.

So really, the issue isn’t that Angel Reese spoke up–it’s when she did it. As Terrika Foster-Brasby put it, “I don’t think it was the language. I think it was the timing.” Given how messy Chicago’s season has been, dropping those comments mid-season was always going to stir things up. In the offseason, they probably would’ve landed differently. Still, we can’t put Reese to blame for saying out loud what everyone already knew about the Sky.

The Caitlin Clark comparisons will keep coming–that’s unavoidable right now–but the real test for Reese is what happens next. If she and the Sky can regroup and deliver a stronger season next year, people won’t be talking about how poorly run they are. Instead, they’ll be talking about how she helped flip the franchise’s image.

What do you think? Do you agree with the demands Rodney Rikai has of Angel Reese?