Angel Reese’s Chicago Sky Criticism Highlights Bleak WNBA Reality After Latest Caitlin Clark Update

Angel Reese has never been the type to bite her tongue. Be it expressing dissatisfaction over Teresa Weatherspoon’s firing or standing up against critics, she’s done it all. And for the most part, it’s worked. Her words often echo louder than the box scores. Remember when Boards Barbie shared, “Everything that comes off the board is mine,” and then a line of “mebounds” apparel followed. She used her bullies to generate dollars to fund a foundation to fight against them. Classic Reese. But lately, that unshakable confidence has caused a stirring unrest in Chicago. Can she master the media spotlight even now?

She tried to, at least. When asked about being frustrated with her team and her organization in a recent press conference, she said, “I don’t think I’m frustrated. I probably am frustrated with myself right now. I think the language is taken out of context and I really didn’t intentionally mean to put down my teammates because they’ve been through this with me throughout the whole year… So I would apologize to my teammates, which I already have, about the article, and how it was misconstrued about what was said.”

This came in response to what she told the Chicago Tribune and what got her a lot of backlash. “I’m not settling for the same shit we did this year. We have to get good players,” Reese had said. Her words were enough to agitate her team members. But she didn’t stop there. She added about being concerned about Courtney Vandersloot, the vet who joined the Sky after winning a championship with the NY Liberty last year. Even shared that she didn’t see Sloot or any other player on the Sky’s roster as the point guard the Sky could build around long-term.

But all that came as the former LSU Tigress thought about the Sky’s future. She knew that the Sky didn’t have their 2026 draft pick in hand. Ariel Atkins’ 13.5 points per game help, while Rachel Banham’s 9.2 PPG and Hailey Van Lith’s 3.5 PPG add some support. But as this season has shown, that mix still hasn’t been enough to push Chicago toward a playoff win.

Aug 25, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese (5) reacts during the second half of a WNBA game against the Las Vegas Aces at Wintrust Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Whatever her take might be, it really didn’t land as she wanted it to, and consequences followed. “A team meeting is planned at which players are expected to address Reese directly,” shared Annie Costabile of Front Office Sports, while adding the possibility that “Reese’s future in Chicago may not be reparable.” But Reese eventually apologized, acknowledging the impact her teammates have had on the team. And we’ve already seen them rally behind her. Remember when Ariel Atkins grabbed the mic and delivered those strong words in defense of the “Chi-Town Barbie” at press conferences? With this apology, it seems the tension has finally settled.

A hard lesson learned, though. “I just have to be better with my language because I know it’s not the message, it’s the messenger and understanding what I say can be taken any kind of way. So I just have to really be better,” Reese added. Yeah, she’s gotta be better. Because let’s be real, the W can’t afford these kinds of controversies right now!

Why? Because there have been too many this year already. Allegations of racist fan behavior, CBA disputes, injury concerns, player safety, alleged coach misconduct, and inappropriate objects getting thrown on the court – these are just a few instances that put the league’s reputation at risk. And now, with the final week here and the Windy City already out, all focus should’ve been on the eight playoff contenders ready to battle it out. But Reese’s latest moves drag an unwanted spotlight onto the Sky, forcing the league to steer the narrative back to basketball.

The recent Caitlin Clark update doesn’t really help, though.