The 2024 WNBA batch was one of the most iconic in the league’s history. To have players like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese is nothing short of a blessing. But Reese’s ‘I don’t care’ attitude stands out more than CC even if you choose to debate over their basketball skills. She didn’t mind questioning her team’s pathetic selection and blamed them for the poor show. Naturally, things went cold between the two camps, even if Reese apologized late. But what would the Sky do with that apology if Reese decides to step out of Chicago?

“I’d like to be here for my career, but if things don’t pan out, I might have to move in a different direction,” Reese told the Chicago Tribune. While the Sky’s GM maintains that Angel Reese remains central to their plans, uncertainty continues to swirl around her future. And if she does move on, can Chicago really cope without her? Shimmy Gray-Miller doesn’t think so, and she’s got plenty of reasons why Reese is simply irreplaceable.

“If you lose Angel, how much of that do you lose? And who can you bring in in this league that’s going to generate the type of excitement, the type of revenue, the type of energy that Angel has brought the last two years? So, if you lose, Angel, then you better you better get your money’s worth,” Gray-Miller said while speaking on the Locked On Women’s Basketball podcast. She even hinted on what all the Sky could lose, and it isn’t just a on-court player.

“Better get a great point guard, a dynamic scorer, maybe even a stretch four. You’ve got to get something for that because not just of what you’re losing with her on the court, her leadership, her IQ, her ability to defend, her impact on the glass, you’re going to lose that, but because of all the other stuff that you lose when Angel Walks.” Hypothetically speaking, any potential replacement of Reese would not bring the kind of attention she is capable of bringing.

Reese brings attention to even a losing Chicago Sky side. Everywhere she walks in her Reebok shoes, the Sky gets a part of the attention. And then the on-court brilliance. Reese got 23 double-doubles this season, the most by any player besides Alyssa Thomas. She has also surpassed Tina Charles (45) for the most double-doubles in a player’s first two seasons in the WNBA! Then her rebound stats for this year, and nobody is near her. All this when the Sky recorded a pathetic 10-34 record.

The Sky surely cannot gamble it all just for the sake of ego, because, as Gray-Miller said, “the excitement around Angel Reese is palpable.” She averaged 14.7 points and 12.6 rebounds this season, leading the league in boards and setting a rookie record with 12 straight double-doubles, according to ESPN. Reese is also a star off the court. She is into movies, she is into fashion shows, and everything a young lady can dream of. Front Office Sports estimates her endorsement income at well over six figures annually, adding weight to Gray-Miller’s argument that her departure would affect both team performance and revenue.

Gray-Miller summed it up best: “If they lose Angel, we’re losing this on the court, but we’re also losing all this off the court.” Reese’s growth, charisma, and consistency have turned her into a defining presence for the Sky. Her absence would be a setback of the same measure.

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Angel Reese walks the runway at the 2025 women’s fashion event

Angel Reese made history as the first professional athlete to walk in the 2025 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. The event, held on October 15 in Brooklyn, New York, saw Reese grace the runway in two standout looks first, a floral-embroidered ensemble paired with a flowing shawl, followed by a striking pink outfit with silver-and-white wings that captured the brand’s signature “angel” imagery.

Reese also became the first pro athlete to earn “wings,” making her name more fitting than ever. She shared the stage with other trailblazers like gymnast Suni Lee. Having once watched the show from the audience, Reese now stood on the runway herself, calling the experience a “surreal and full-circle moment.”

The response across the WNBA and social media also reflected a shift in how female athletes are viewed off the court. For example, fellow WNBA player

Sophie Cunningham referenced Reese’s runway moment in her own Instagram story while talking about a lifestyle update: “Call me Angel Reese,” she quipped. Her casual remark highlights how Reese’s move into runway modeling is now part of the wider conversation, and players aren’t limited to the courts.

Angel Reese, under the guidance of Shaq, has managed to break out as an influencer and cultural figure. She is utilizing her talent on court and her presence off court in a remarkable way. Losing her from the team would mean being deprived of more such iconic moments that are yet to come. Will the Sky risk her? We don’t think so, but do let us know your thoughts on this.