“If 2024 was about drafting the face of the Chicago Sky, 2025 is about building the team.” Fox Sport’s Chicago writer reported while covering the Sky’s draft picks. Four new faces were added strategically from the class. Building on the previous season, moving forward to attain the ultimate goal, the Chicago Sky is looking to make steady progress in the league with the young core they collected in the recent two drafts. And the face of it is Angel Reese, ticking all the boxes, and admittedly with a little help.

Call it a success for the Chicago Sky or a failure, but on the hardwood, the young team demonstrated potential. Particularly with the emergence late in the second half of the season, the side pushed for the playoff spot. Though they struggled offensively, averaging just 77 points in the season (second last among the franchises), their defensive game kept them competitive in the league. The side finished tenth in the standings. Yet the season was a mix of exciting performances and highlights of lapses. Brightest spot, All-Star Angel Reese, who was their standout performer with a double-double average.

However, the Chi-Town Barbie wasn’t without scrutiny. Her shooting performance was largely called out, discrediting her rebounding efforts in the process. But boy, did she us it as a motivation to grow. While her defense saw an expected growth, evident from her DPOY award in Unrivaled and the league-leading 12.1 rebounding average, shooting was something Reese took for a challenge and returned a winner. Head coach Tyler Marsh is making us believe so.

“I thought Angel embraced our new philosophy and our new scheme, especially defensively,” he admitted.

The first-time HC isn’t planning on going one-dimensional this year, and Reese seems to be hitting every mark. “I’m still doing my post work, but I’ve got to come with more this year,” she said during the training camp. “I’ve got to be able to shoot the midrange shot, 10 to 15 feet, be able to shoot the 3, the 2 consistently. I work every day on it, so I’ve got to take the shots.” 

Reese is going to be a crucial piece of the Sky roster. They seemed to have made that clear when they traded early first-round picks for the season and the following one. There’s trust, there are expectations, and the pressure, needless to say. But as gracefully as Angel is treading through, she isn’t alone. She has some great support this year, after admittedly missing out on the front in her rookie campaign. This one is in the form of veteran Courtney Vandersloot, and the Chi-Town Barbie isn’t missing out on giving her the flowers.

“Sloot’s a great vet. She’s a great leader. She’s made my life easier and I’m sure Kamilla’s as well,” she admitted. The reason behind it is simple…

After all these years in the league, Tyler Marsh admits Sloot is a strong voice in the locker room. “When she talks, people listen,” the head coach said ahead of the training camp. “Because you know that when she speaks up, there’s information that she’s going to share and there’s a lot of experience there.” 

Besides, a front-court player needs a strong back-court playmaker, and for the Sky franchise, Vandersloot covers that requirement. The 14-year veteran is a highly skilled playmaker excelling in facilitating offence and distributing the ball. With players like Ariel Atkins, HVL and other shooters around her, this could shoot up attempts and opportunities for the Sky.

Sloot herself was pleased by the call-up –“home, it’s family, and it’s a point guard’s dream”, she said when she was asked about the return.

Reese is getting all the right pieces for another productive season. Will it translate into a championship run or at least a postseason in 2025?

Angel Reese with all the support need to perform in 2025

Last season, Reese put together an excellent rookie campaign. With a 13.6 points and 13.1 rebounds per game production, the second of which was the most in the WNBA, Reese established herself as a premium player. As mentioned earlier, the star forward has received a boost on the court with quality players and top picks joining the Wintrust Arena.

The franchise not only took care of the players on the court, but they also looked after the coaching staff to shape and guide the young stars on the roster. Unveiling a completely revamped coaching staff designed to guide the franchise into a more competitive future. The HC – Tyler Marsh was a member of the Las Vegas Aces’ back-to-back championship runs in recent years. He was also part of the Toronto Raptors’ 2019 championship run.

In both these title-winning sides, one common aspect is that those teams were built around the forwards. A’ja Wilson and Kawhi Leonard were key faces and impact players for the sides. The Chicago side would be expecting a similar turnaround for Angel Reese. In the first interview after the training camp, Reese herself acknowledged that ‘training camp was different from last year, with positive vibes and intensity to win a title.’

As for the veterans, Reese started gaining their respect as she delivered on the court. “I was scared, and I’m not somebody to be scared, but I was just scared,” Reese admitted on her ‘Unapologetically Angel’ podcast. But A group of veterans met up with the rebound machine and eased her concerns. Reese highlighted Nneka Ogwumike, Satou Sabally, and Dearica Hamby.

For her second season in the league, the support gets thicker. Ariel Atkins, her new teammate, has publicly praised her, stating, “She doesn’t have a ceiling.” Atkins also highlighted Reese’s “energy” and “competitive nature.” Chelsea Grey also had firsthand experience of Angel’s growth.

Playing in Unrivaled, the Aces star noted Reese’s progress when Megan Rapinoe asked her about her role as a veteran and mentor with the Rose Basketball Club, “She stays after late, she gets shots up. You saw her progressively get better,” Grey mentioned. “When I say you’re seeing up close and personal her rebounding and how she has a knack for the ball, it’s actually pretty crazy.”

The signs are positive, and Reese also wants to make her name in the league. Winning the Unrivalled title, Reese already has a trophy in her cabinet. Now, Team Sky is ready for the challenge with the Chi-Town Barbie leading from the front. The Sky season will officially start with a game against the Indiana Fever on May 16, during Rivalry Week.