On June 23 last season, Angel Reese celebrated with former WNBA player, Sheryl Swoopes as if she had won the WNBA Finals. She had led the Chicago Sky to a win over the Indiana Fever and Caitlin Clark, 88-87 with 25 points. At the moment, they were in a playoff position and ESPN analyst Monica McNutt stated Reese should be the Rookie of the Year.
Less than a year later, the Sky and Reese have struggled so much that both a benching and/or a trade have to be on the table. The Sky did not make the postseason last year, and Reese lost the Rookie of the Year to Clark. As this season began, many analysts were speaking of Reese as a superstar.
But she has faltered out of the gate this season. The Sky have fallen to 2-5 at the start of the season and Reese continues to struggle in most statistical categories outside of rebounding. She is shooting 30.9 percent from the field and has 26 turnovers from the forward position. She is second in the league in shot attempts within five feet of the basket, and has made just 32.2 percent from that area.
She's only had one game in the positive in the plus-minus category. It was a plus three in a win over Dallas. On Saturday, she was minus-20 in a loss against the Caitlin Clark-less Indian Fever. The Sky lost by 27 in front of their home fans.
If Angel Reese can't even make layups consistently, the Sky can't keep her on the floor
The offense seems to run through Reese, but it has not been a formula for success. Many defenders key in on Reese and allow her to move the ball around once she is inside the paint. Now if they wish to salvage their season, they made need to make a difficult decision. Ride with Reese as a starter for the remainder of the season, have her sit on the bench to learn, or trade the supposed star.
In a loss against the Liberty earlier this year, Reese's struggles were on full display as she missed four consecutive shots in a few seconds from inside the paint. This despite players being open, she continued to try to make a layup. It displayed she may not be ready for the moment.
If they have her come off the bench, it could pay dividends for her career to have a moment to watch proven veterans and how they work their feet inside the paint and how they distribute the ball in key moments. Rebecca Allen has been a bright spot for the Sky off the bench. She is averaging over eight points and three rebounds a game in limited minutes.
However, would teams be willing to take on the media attention that would come with Reese? Would anyone even offer a first round pick or high value bench player for a player who is struggling so much?
Reese is arguably one of the best rebounders in the WNBA. It is evident that she wants to improve. However, it has not been translated in other areas of the court at the start of 2025. If the Sky want any chance of competing this year, it may be time to look at Reese as either a trade asset or valuable bench player.