May 24, 2026; College Park, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Dream guard Allisha Gray (15) and forward Angel Reese (5) high-five during the game against the Phoenix Mercury during the second quarter at Gateway Center Arena at College Park. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images
May 24, 2026; College Park, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Dream guard Allisha Gray (15) and forward Angel Reese (5) high-five during the game against the Phoenix Mercury during the second quarter at Gateway Center Arena at College Park. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images
The loudest moment inside Wintrust Arena on Tuesday night had nothing to do with basketball, even though the Chicago Sky came dangerously close to upsetting one of the top teams in the WNBA.
After the last buzzer, a fan ran to the floor with a sign that said, "Don't worry, Chicago, Angel is still watching over us." Soon after, "Sell The Team" was chanted.
The Atlanta Dream defeated the Sky 82-75, but the absence of a player who is no longer wearing their jersey hurt more than the defeat.
May 9, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese (5) celebrates a basket against the Minnesota Lynx during the first half at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
May 9, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese (5) celebrates a basket against the Minnesota Lynx during the first half at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
Chicago has been dealing with the fallout since Angel Reese was traded to Atlanta during the offseason. The Sky has dropped eight of its last twelve games and currently has the third-worst net rating in the league at minus-6.4.
That statistic tells some of the story. Beyond wins and losses, the more significant problem is what the team lost. In a market that has consistently failed to gain traction since the franchise's founding in 2005, Reese was the only player who could attract widespread attention.
Losing wasn't the only source of frustration on Tuesday. All night, Sheldon, Cardoso, and Jaquez received sincere applause, but Chicago doesn't have the kind of players that fans get fixated on.
The Sky are no longer in the running for JuJu Watkins due to the loss of their 2028 first-round pick and the possibility of a 2027 trade with Washington. As a result, they have neither wins nor star power.
Additionally, the player Chicago traded away made sure no one forgot what she was capable of while they looked for answers.
Angel Reese Dominates in Return to Chicago
Reese’s homecoming was anything but understated. Now on the opposing team, Reese made an impactful performance as to why the trade was so important to everyone.
The former player scored 17 points, grabbed 17 rebounds, dished out 4 assists, and got 2 steals in 35 minutes. This helped Reese get Atlanta an 82-75 victory.
This also marks Reese’s 5th double-double in a row and 8th in 11 games during this season. This performance helped solidify Reese as the most dominant rebounder in the league.
She also made history as the first player for Atlanta to achieve 17 or more rebounds in two consecutive games. Those statistics also carry even more weight in the context. With 57 double-doubles, Reese has the most double-doubles by a WNBA player in the first 75 games of their career.
This puts Reese in the company of Blake Griffin, both of whom are second in the history of the NBA, behind only Shaquille O'Neal, who has 63 double-doubles.
With the victory, Atlanta improved to an 8-3 record for the season and is first in the Eastern Conference. They are due to face the New York Liberty in Atlanta the following day.
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Written by
Utsav Gupta
Edited by
Utsav Gupta