The Chicago Sky are drowning in bad optics following the firing of head coach Teresa Weatherspoon. The two-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year and former New Orleans Pelicans assistant was dismissed after just one year at the helm. Criticism and confusion are pushing their way through the front office, but there is a ray of hope. A promising core led by powerful frontcourt duo Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso should enable the franchise to pursue their top HC target.
Despite a lack of direction being conveyed through management’s actions, the Sky’s future should be bright. Reese and Cardoso each endured injuries at different points of their rookie campaigns, but they still made their presence known.
Reese was especially impactful for the team, setting a single-season rebounding record that likely would have held if she did not suffer a wrist fracture early in September. She averaged 13.6 points and 13.1 rebounds while also attracting many new fans to the product. The 22-year-old is a difference-maker on her own, but in tandem with Cardoso, she can be a part of something special in Chicago.
“We’re two different positions, and I think people don’t realize down the road we’re going to be really really good together,” Reese told legend Sheryl Swoopes on the “Unapologetically Angel” podcast. “We’re just warming up. I know how to get the ball to Kamilla better than anyone else. I just know where she likes it. Just being able to build her confidence and being able to continue that, hopefully we can stay together for a really long time. But I know moving forward and going into the next season, it’s going to be crazy.”
Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso were fierce rivals in college, both leading their respective programs to national championships. Caitlin Clark broke the most records and commanded the most national attention during that span, but these two powerhouses also left an indelible mark in arguably the most prominent era of women’s college basketball ever.
Related Chicago Sky NewsArticle continues below
Now, they are teammates, handpicked to lead the Sky to sustained success. Cardoso shot-blocking prowess (1.4 per game) and stalwart defense allows her to effectively complement Reese’s low-post offensive attack and ferocity on the glass. If the latter can develop her perimeter game (her last shot of season was a 3-pointer), then Chicago should quickly become one of the most dangerous teams in the league.
Ideally, the next head coach will be able to mold these two young athletes for a long time.
