Sky say Angel Reese remains on roster as season ends amid suspension and comments

The Chicago Sky say Angel Reese remains on the roster heading into the offseason, general manager Jeff Pagliocca said Friday, as the franchise seeks to close the chapter on a drama-filled finish to its worst season in recent years.

Reese, a two-time All-Star and the No. 7 overall pick in the 2024 draft, was suspended for one half of a game late in the season after comments she made to the Chicago Tribune that the team described as "detrimental to the team." Pagliocca said the organization is not planning an immediate roster move. "Until I hear differently, that’s the direction we’re going to move, is that she’s on the roster," he said.

Reese did not return to the court after the suspension and was listed with a back injury for the team's final three games. She sat out Chicago’s season-ending 91-86 loss to the New York Liberty and, hours after that defeat, boarded a private jet for a postseason trip. The Sky finished 10-34, tied for the worst record in the WNBA, and missed the playoffs for the second straight season.

Pagliocca said the team and Reese have had regular, productive conversations. "Angel is an ascending young talent in this league who’s had two very, very good seasons here in Chicago," Pagliocca said. "Obviously, we went through what we did. I feel like we closed the chapter on it. She spoke to her teammates. She spoke publicly. We moved on as a team. She’s a special player. And I have good conversations with Angel daily, with her team daily. They’re constant, and they’re productive."

Reese has apologized publicly and privately to teammates, Pagliocca said. The Sky did not rule out a trade this offseason; given the remarks and the suspension, a move remains a possibility. Reese has two years left on her rookie contract before she will be eligible for restricted free agency.

Across 30 games this season, Reese averaged 14.7 points and 12.6 rebounds and led the WNBA in rebounds per game for the second straight year. Chicago went 1-13 in games she did not play.

The Sky have struggled since drafting Reese. In her rookie season the team went 13-27, and coach Teresa Weatherspoon was dismissed after one season. The organization enters a complex offseason in the WNBA, with collective bargaining negotiations between the league and the players' association ongoing and an Oct. 31 deadline for a new deal. Players are seeking higher salaries, a larger share of league revenues, and improved facilities and benefits.

Those negotiations, coupled with the prevalence of one-year contracts around the league this season, could lead to significant player movement. The WNBA also is expanding, with new franchises in Toronto and Portland set to participate in player allocation and expansion drafts, further complicating roster planning for teams such as Chicago.

Pagliocca stressed the team’s focus on moving forward rather than dwelling on the season’s ending. He pointed to regular contact with Reese and her representatives as part of normal roster and development work.

Reese’s comments to the Tribune had included an assertion that she would not be "settling for the same s—t we did this year," and that she might do "what’s best for me" if circumstances did not change. The Sky deemed those remarks detrimental and suspended her for half of the team's late-season game. Afterward, she returned to speak with teammates, apologized, and missed the final games with a listed back injury.

As the WNBA offseason unfolds, the Sky must weigh Reese’s on-court production—she remains one of the league’s leading rebounders—against the organizational and public-relations challenges that emerged in the closing weeks of the season. Any future decision on Reese’s status will be made amid broader leaguewide shifts expected in free agency and the outcome of the CBA talks.