Tonight will be a bit of a strange one for Angel Reese. The newest Atlanta Dream forward will face her former team, the Chicago Sky, the team that drafted her, in a preseason game.
Reese was thought to be the Sky’s franchise pillar. Until, suddenly, she wasn’t. She showed flashes of promise with all-around skills and seemed like a player who could be a staple for the Sky in the future. But something didn’t fully work out, leading Chicago to make the bittersweet decision to move on from their former cornerstone in a deal that brought back two first-round picks.
While most of the story will likely focus on Reese’s return to Wintrust Arena in a revenge game narrative, the 23-year-old forward has nothing but love for the Sky. She acknowledged that her time in Chicago helped shape where she is today.
“No, just another exciting opportunity for me to be in Chicago,” she said via Christopher Harris of CBS News. “I loved my experience there. It was amazing, and seeing a lot of familiar faces on Wednesday is going to be good.”
Reese further reiterated how Chicago will always have a home for her, and said she still feels the love from people in the city.
“You guys have done a lot of great things for me and for the support of Chicago and the city. Not just me, but for the organization as well. I have a basketball career, so I still have a home here. So this is still part of my journey, and I’ll never forget that. And I’m just really grateful for the continued support with women’s sports and being able to have the extension of anywhere I go and the people will love me. And I’m sure a lot of fans will come out tonight to support us.”
Reese has been through a lot in her two seasons in Chicago. After a historic rookie year in which she broke multiple records but still missed the playoffs, her sophomore season became even more turbulent with injuries, suspensions and reported fallout within the team. The Sky finished second-to-last with a 10-34 record. She played 64 games across two seasons, averaging 14.1 points, 12.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists.
How Atlanta Dream Can Elevate Angel Reese’s Game Even Higher
While Angel Reese’s time with the Sky may have been short-lived, she is excited for her chance in Atlanta and is already being placed in an important role.
Going into the new season, Reese wants to fine tune different areas of her game, including continuing to figure out new ways to score.
“I’m learning different ways to get my teammates open,” Reese said. “We have a lot of great players on this team, so it’s about finding where I fit and how I can help. I’m just trying to get better on that and figure out ways to score easier”
The 2025 season is a big opportunity for Reese. She is expected to be a projected starter alongside Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard, with chemistry already forming through USA Basketball camp and Unrivaled experience.
When watching Reese, one can see there is still plenty of room for growth in her game, and Atlanta is a strong place for her to continue developing.
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