This story was updated to fix a typo.The Chicago Sky’s season came to a close Thursday night with second-year player Angel Reese missing her fourth consecutive game.
Reese was suspended for the first half of the first missed game because of comments made during a league-mandated media session. A ‘coach’s decision’ was said to be the reason for the second missed game and the last two missed contests were the result of a back injury, according to the injury report.
Reese shared her frustration with the team last week, telling the Chicago Tribune that she “might have to move in a different direction and do what’s best for me” if the team didn’t look to improve.
General manager Jeff Pagliocca told reporters during the team’s exit interviews on Friday that the team has moved on from the situation, and Reese spoke to her teammates about her comments.
Pagliocca added that he has daily conversations with Reese and the rest of the team.
“They’re constant, and they’re productive, and until I hear differently, that’s the direction we’re gonna move in, is that she’s on the roster,” Pagliocca said when asked about Reese’s long-term future with the Sky.
Reese was one of three players who did not speak to the media on Friday. It remains unknown if those players will speak in the coming days, according to a message from the team’s media relations department.
Pagliocca praised Reese and the development he saw from the second-year player despite her missing 14 games this season.
“We saw so much new and so much good out of her compared to last year,” Pagliocca said. “She was able to build on the success she had. We saw her as a facilitator, we saw her playing in space, we saw her put the ball on the floor.”
Reese averaged 14.7 points and 12.6 rebounds in 30 games this season. But the Sky finished the season with a 10-34 record, losing eight of their last nine games.
Some fans were seen in a video chanting “fire Jeff (Pagliocca)” during the season finale on Thursday. Other fans were seen with signs and a shirt that said “free Angel.’
“It’s hard to hear, but, you know, I’m also appreciative that we have passionate fans that want to see winning,” Pagliocca said. “We feel the same, and I know I have full support from ownership. We have great conversations. There’s a lot of mutual respect there.”
