“She’s a girls’ girl!” That’s the first thing you’ll hear when players talk about Angel Reese. Whether it’s college or the pros, Angel’s always been that teammate – the one who hypes you up, has your back, and just radiates that feminine energy she’s proud of. She’s said it before: one of the things she loves most about herself is how she represents girl power. So, it’s no surprise she’s always formed strong bonds with the women around her. But one of the sweetest and most unexpected ones was her bond with Kahleah Copper.

This was the Unrivaled duo we didn’t see coming, but wow, did we need it. When the Unrivaled league launched, it had everyone wondering – how were players from different W teams going to mesh? Well, the vet-rookie duo said, “watch this.” They brought the vibes, the chemistry, the title, and gave fans content gold along the way.

From Angel playfully calling Kah “grandma” for not wanting to do TikToks to Kah giving in and doing them anyway, their banter was top-tier from the jump. It got so real that Angel even joked about trying to recruit her back to the Sky. She even caught a little tampering heat online for that one. But can you blame her? Copper spent most of her WNBA career in Chicago, from 2017 to 2023. Angel was just trying to “get her back” in the most public way possible.

And even now, with them on different squads – Copper in her second year with Phoenix – they’re still keeping the friendship going strong. Recently, Copper tweeted, “@Reese10Angel just miss me.. I’ll be in Chicago soon 😘” Reese was quick to respond. “nah, can we meet outside of the workplace? Damn.” She’s keeping all competition to the hardwood only.

Well, with the way things are going in Windy City, Reese might need that break more than ever. The Sky’s 2025 season has been rough. They’re sitting at 2-6, which puts them near the bottom of the league. More than anything, it’s not just the losses…it’s how they’re losing. Five of those six defeats have been by double digits, including ugly ones against the Liberty and the Fever.

As much as no one wants to point fingers, Reese hasn’t had the start she or the team was hoping for. Even though she just had her best game of the season on June 10, dropping 17 points on 8-of-13 shooting, her overall numbers are down. Points per game are 10.1, a dip from 13.6 last year. Rebounds are lower too-  from 13.1 rebounds in 2024 to 12.1 this season. Also, the field goal percentage – 35.8% – needs some work.

So naturally, the pressure is building. So much that even the Sky GM is calling for “more production” from her now. 

GM sends clear message as Angel Reese starts to find her groove

Tuesday evening, the Chicago Sky dropped to 0-2 in the Commissioner’s Cup with just three games left in the event. But there was at least one silver lining in the loss to the New York Liberty: Reese. The 2024 All-Star forward finally looked like herself again, notching a season-high 17 points along with 11 rebounds, three assists, and two steals. 

Still, the Sky couldn’t keep up and fell, marking their sixth loss of the regular season. New head coach Tyler Marsh, who won two titles as an assistant under Becky Hammon in Las Vegas, is still trying to figure out the right formula in Chicago. And while Reese has shown flashes of dominance, it’s not been consistent. 

Hence GM Jeff Pagliocca didn’t sugarcoat things in a recent chat with the Chicago Sun-Times. “That’s something that has yet to come together, but it’s a necessity for us to win,” Pagliocca said when asked about Reese’s overall impact. “She’s had some great games, and she’s had some games like everybody else that haven’t been her best. But she’s our best chance at versatility on this roster.”

He went on to say, “We need more production out of her, but we need her to help us in other ways, too. She’s been putting the time in. She’s been a great teammate. She knows we need to use her in a variety of ways. We’re still trying to pinpoint the most advantageous part of that.”

So, what’s next?

The Sky are hoping her breakout night against the Liberty wasn’t a one-off. With a tough stretch ahead, including a Friday matchup with the 6-3 Atlanta Dream, they’ll need her to do even more. Because if she can keep building off that momentum, this version of Angel Reese might just turn the Sky’s season around.