The Chicago Sky entered the 2026 season following a complete roster reset. After moving Angel Reese to the Atlanta Dream, they brought in Skylar Diggins to lead the pack. They also added players like Rickea Jackson and Azura Stevens to bolster their chances of competing, but 12 games into the season, things have not looked great for the franchise.

After winning three of the first four games, the Sky have lost seven of their next eight and currently sit sixth in the Eastern Conference. Amid these dismal results, Diggins has clearly vented her frustration on the team after the Toronto Tempo game. It has now prompted ESPN analyst and former basketball player Andraya Carter to share her two cents on the very credibility of this franchise.

“The pattern extends beyond Angel Reese and Skylar Diggins,” Carter said via ESPNW. “I’m sorry, but it’s so much bigger than the team. This is an organizational issue, like there have been so many instances where I feel like Chicago is an unserious organization, and it starts at the top. And that’s with the owner, Michael Alter, because when you think about it, Sylvia Fowles wanted out of Chicago, Elena Delle Donne wanted out of Chicago. Those are the top picks for Chicago. “

The issue with the Chicago Sky isn’t new. Over the years, there have been multiple instances of players forcing their way out of the franchise. For instance, Reese’s move from Chicago to Atlanta didn’t end on a sweet note.

Reese clearly stated that she wanted better players on her team to compete harder in the league. It eventually didn’t sit well with the Sky, and they suspended her for half a game.

And immediately in the offseason, Reese was headed to Atlanta. The trend has continued with Diggins as well. After the Toronto loss, Skylar Diggins urged the franchise to show greater maturity and leadership.

“We gotta have more maturity and more leadership on and off the floor,” Diggins said as per USA Today. “If it was just versus one team, I’d understand that, but now it’s been struggles. That’s a trend of ours. It’s disappointing. Really is. It’s frustrating.”

The Chicago Sky had already been blemished due to their roster decisions and talent management. These consistent shovings by the players added to the franchise’s concerns and aren’t a good look for the Chicago Sky.

As Carter mentioned, the franchise already has a history of losing key players. While Fowles and Donne are only a few names that Sky has lost, as Candace Parker and Gabby Williams are also featured in this list.

“In 2021, their fourth overall pick, Gabby Williams, had national team responsibilities,” Carter added. “Chicago suspended her for the season. She got out of Chicago, they went to win a championship in 2021 with Candace Parker, Courtney Vandersloot they win championship. In 2022, they go to the semis, and then what happens, their stars leave instead of continuing to fight for Chicago; they don’t stay in Chicago.”

It raises a concerning pattern for the Chicago Sky. They emphasized team structure and roster balance after Reese departed from the franchise. But so far in the season, it hasn’t just materialized. They have already lost Rickea Jackson, one of their most formidable scorers, to an ACL tear.

Yet they do have a good enough squad featuring Skylar Diggins and Azura Stevens. But those performances just haven’t come. As a veteran, it’s quite certain that Diggins will be raising questions to head coach Tyler Marsh and the Sky front office, because she would, of course, want to win, irrespective of the franchise.

The Chicago Sky needs to make its move quickly. Otherwise, it would be too little too late for them. Meanwhile, Angel Reese is drafting her own script with the Atlanta Dream.

Angel Reese Drops a Redemption Arc Masterclass Against the Chicago Sky

The wounds of her departure from Chicago are still fresh for Angel Reese. The game on Tuesday provided the perfect setting for her to showcase her ability against Sky.

She did exactly that as the Bayou Barbie recorded a stellar double-double in the game with 17 points and 17 rebounds to lead her team to an 82-75 win. Reese went 5 of 12 from the field for 41.7%, and even nailed a three-pointer in the second quarter to put her array of skills on display.

However, after the win, Reese didn’t rave about her performance against her former team, the Chicago Sky.

“It’s just another basketball game,” Reese had said as per MTMV Sports Network. “I have a lot of love for Chicago because I did have a great time here. The fans have still embraced me, and so many people still have Chicago jerseys of mine, and they show a lot of support. So, I do appreciate the city, too.”

Notably, this was also the 57th double-double of Reese’s career, as per CBS Sports. It’s the most that a player has scored in her first 75 games in the league.

Reese has quickly become the anchor of Atlanta’s frontcourt, and the numbers clearly reflect that. In her 11 games this season, Reese has scored 8 double-doubles.

Under head coach Karl Smesko, she will be expected to thrive even more going forward this season. The Dream holds an 8-3 record this season, which has helped them maintain third spot in the WNBA standings.

They have a chance to extend their brilliant run when they face the New York Liberty on June 11 at the Gateway Center. Reese will be hoping to continue her impressive run and help Dream continue making a push for the top spot in the standings.