qq The Great Exorcism: How Chicago Rebounded by Moving On From Angel Reese While the Rest of the WNBA Watches in Silence

In the high-stakes world of professional basketball, numbers are often touted as the ultimate truth. They provide a roadmap for greatness, a justification for contracts, and a shield against criticism. But for the Chicago Sky and their former centerpiece, Angel Reese, the numbers eventually became a mask for a much harsher reality. On April 6, 2026, the mask was finally stripped away.

The trade that sent Angel Reese to the Atlanta Dream was not just a transaction; it was a statement. In exchange for a two-time All-Star, the Sky accepted a package of future draft picks—assets that won’t touch the hardwood for years. To the casual observer, it looked like a fire sale. To those inside the league, it felt like an exorcism. Within a single week of Reese’s departure, a franchise that had been avoided like a plague by elite veterans suddenly became the most desirable destination in the WNBA. The speed of the transformation was almost uncomfortable, leaving fans and analysts asking: What did Chicago know that they were finally willing to act on?

The Illusion of the Stat Sheet

To understand why Chicago was so eager to move on, one must look past the double-doubles. On paper, Angel Reese’s first two seasons were historic. She averaged nearly 13 rebounds per game and broke records previously held by legends like Sylvia Fowles. She was the “Chi-Town Barbie,” a marketing juggernaut with a massive social media following.

However, the win-loss column told a different story. Under Reese’s leadership, the Sky posted a dismal 23-61 record over two seasons—a winning percentage of just 27%. While her rebounding numbers were staggering, a closer inspection revealed that approximately 35% of her offensive boards came from her own missed shots. She was a player who operated in the paint but shot less than 50% within three feet of the basket.  In a team sport, production that doesn’t translate to wins is often viewed as “empty calories.” Reese was filling her plate, but the team was starving.

A Locker Room in Turmoil

Basketball is played on the court, but it is won or lost in the locker room. Reports emerging from the Sky organization suggest that the environment during the Reese era was anything but harmonious. The tension reportedly reached a breaking point involving veteran Courtney Vandersloot. Vandersloot, a two-time champion and the heartbeat of the franchise for years, was allegedly called “old and washed up” by Reese after suffering an injury.

The disrespect didn’t stop there. Reese went on the record suggesting the team couldn’t rely on Vandersloot and needed “younger” leadership. For a player who had never reached the playoffs to call out one of the most decorated winners in league history was a bridge too far for many in the building. The friction extended to rising star Kamilla Cardoso, who was caught on camera visibly “checked out” during games, even walking toward the opposing team’s bench in a moment of sheer frustration.

By the time the Sky suspended Reese late in the 2025 season—a move that usually follows failed interventions and private warnings—the writing was on the wall. Her own teammates began using a term that no athlete ever wants associated with their name: “locker room cancer.”

The Instant Transformation

The most damning evidence against the Reese era wasn’t the losses, but what happened the second she was gone. For two years, Chicago general manager Jeff Pahliauka had been trying to recruit top-tier talent, only to be met with dial tones. The moment the trade to Atlanta was finalized, the phone wouldn’t stop ringing.

In an unprecedented ten-day span, the Sky signed six-time All-WNBA point guard Skyler Diggins to a massive two-year deal. Diggins, a South Bend native and Olympic gold medalist, didn’t just join the team; she brought a sense of legitimacy that had been missing for years. “Skyler has been around this league long enough to know the fake from the real,” head coach Tyler Marsh noted in a comment that many saw as a direct shot at the departing Reese.

Following Diggins, Azura Stevens returned “home” on a million-dollar annual contract, and the team secured Defensive Player of the Year candidate DiJonai Carrington. The Sky didn’t just replace Reese; they built a roster founded on versatility, defense, and players who make those around them better. The “roster balance” the front office craved was finally achieved by removing the very player they once thought was their cornerstone.

The Atlanta Reality Check

While Chicago celebrated their new beginning, Angel Reese headed to Atlanta, expecting to be the missing piece for a contender. However, the “Reese Reputation” followed her. When free agency opened, the Dream expected a line of players eager to join forces with the All-Star. Instead, they watched as their own stars, including league legend Brittney Griner, chose to leave for other organizations.

Griner, a player with two rings and an MVP trophy, reportedly looked at the roster direction—centered around Reese—and decided Connecticut was a better fit. Reese was reportedly “furious” that players weren’t jumping at the chance to play with her, seemingly unable to connect her past behavior in Chicago with her current struggles in recruitment.

The Shadow of Caitlin Clark

Hovering over this entire narrative is the inevitable comparison to Caitlin Clark. Clark entered a struggling Indiana Fever team that held the worst record in the league and, within one season, dragged them into the playoffs.

The difference, analysts argue, is fundamental. Clark’s presence elevates her teammates; her gravity on the court creates space for Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell to thrive. She has become a magnet for talent, making Indiana a premier destination. Conversely, Reese’s two years in Chicago left the franchise in a state that felt like a “rebuild” but looked like a collapse.

As the 2026 season approaches, the WNBA finds itself at a crossroads. Chicago has reset its culture, Atlanta has gambled on a polarizing star, and the gap between “stat-sheet stars” and “franchise changers” has never been wider. Whether Reese can reinvent herself in a new city remains to be seen, but for the Chicago Sky, the decision to move on wasn’t just about basketball—it was about survival.