Angel Reese reacts to Sky firing head coach Teresa Weatherspoon
The Chicago Sky were a win and two losses away (from Washington Mystics and Atlanta Dream) from capturing a playoff berth but the biggest loss came with the news that head coach Teresa Weatherspoon was being fired.
Teresa Weatherspoon was a wildly popular hire but was fired after just one season at the helm. Angel Reese took to X and reacted to the head-scratching move by the franchise.
I’m heartbroken. I’m literally lost for words knowing what this woman meant to me in such a pivotal point in my life. She was the only person that believed in me. The one that trusted me. Many don’t even know what it’s like to be a black women in sports when nobody believes in…
— Angel Reese (@Reese10Angel) September 27, 2024
Reese emphasized how Weatherspoon was a mentor and someone who was in her corner. The two bonded which led to a phenomenal rookie season for the Baltimore native.
Teresa Weatherspoon's invaluable mentorship
Before being drafted, the LSU product was criticized for her enthusiasm and compelling trash talk. Chicago drafted Reese at No. 7 in the recent WNBA draft. During her time at LSU, she missed a few games due to an undisclosed reason, and head coach Kim Mulkey didn't protect her star player from the media slander.
On the other hand, Weatherspoon was able to protect her rookie while building her up. Reese finished the season averaging 13.6 points, 13.1 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.3 steals while breaking the rookie rebounding record and the double-double record for the WNBA.
Instilling confidence
Reese's tweet on X described how much Weatherspoon believed in her even when she made mistakes. This loss was crushing for Reese and others because Weatherspoon was an African American female coach and had the ability to connect to her players with her long playing experience.
Some coaches are not able to relate to their players because of cultural and ethnic barriers but players clearly bonded with her and Reese wasn't the only one who stood up for her former coach. Chennedy Carter was all but out of the league but reclaimed her spot as a rising star thanks to Weatherspoon's leadership.
i’m forever thankful for spoon 🙏🏻🏁
— H O L L Y W O O D 🛬 (@ChennedyCarter) September 27, 2024
Weatherspoon took Carter in and supported her through the ups and downs of the season. She allowed her to play and talk with her edge while encouraging her to grow in certain areas.
Over the weekend Curt Miller was relieved of his duties and now Weatherspoon has been let go by the Sky. This is just the beginning of what could be a wild offseason in the WNBA.
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