The Chicago Sky traded Angel Reese to the Atlanta Dream for first-round picks in 2027 and 2028, plus a second-round pick swap in a blockbuster deal. The trade ends Reese’s two-year tenure in Chicago, where she led the WNBA in rebounding in back-to-back seasons.
While Chicago fans mourned the loss of their young superstar, Atlanta supporters celebrated the arrival of the two-time All-Star to their fold. Meanwhile, Reese went to “X” to express her excitement about the move.
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Angel was suspended last September for calling out the Sky
Reese was the Sky’s seventh overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft out of LSU, where she won a national title and was the tournament MVP in 2023. Prior to that, Angel led Saint Frances Academy in Baltimore to four consecutive IAAM A Conference championships and was one of the best high school players in the country.
She carried over her individual success in the WNBA, finishing second to Caitlin Clark in the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year race and 12th in the MVP voting. This past season, she upped her scoring average from 13.6 to 14.7 points per game while leading the league in rebounding for the second straight campaign.
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But while Reese was killing it on and off the court, the Sky won only a combined 23 games in her two years there. During the 2025 campaign, they finished with a 10-34 record, with their 10 wins being the lowest since their maiden WNBA season in 2006, when they won just five games. Last September, the Sky suspended Angel for conduct detrimental to the team after she threatened to leave if they continued to lose.
“I’m not settling for the same s— we did this year. We have to get good players. We have to get great players. That’s non-negotiable to me,” said Reese via the Chicago Tribune. “I’m willing and wanting to play with the best. And however I can help to get the best here, that’s what I’m going to do this offseason. So it’s going to be very, very important this offseason to make sure we attract the best of the best because we can’t settle for what we have this year.”
Chicago’s loss is Atlanta’s gain
According to reports, Reese did not demand a trade, but a conversation was held between the team and her representatives before the deal was made. Sky general manager Jegg Paglioca said that the move was aimed at “achieving roster balance”- whatever that means and said the trade was a good opportunity for both sides. For the Dream, GM Dan Padover said that Angel is a perfect fit for what they are building in Atlanta.
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The Dream were 30-14 during the 2025 WNBA season and had the third-best record in the league before losing to the Indiana Fever in the opening round of the playoffs. With Brittney Griner there, they will have one of the most imposing frontcourts in the association, with the league’s blocks and rebounds leader sharing the same court. Reese will also join All-Stars Alisha Gray and Rhyne Howard in trying to lead the Dream to their first WNBA title.
Meanwhile, just hours after the trade was announced, the get-in prices for the Dream’s season opener exploded from $38 to $68. On the other hand, Atlanta’s championship odds shortened from +1800 to +1000 while the Dream’s official Instagram account gained over 18,000 followers in less than nine hours. From these alone, it’s clear who won the deal. And it’s easy to see why Reese would agree that Atlanta is Barbie’s dream house. Now we have to wait and see if the results follow.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Apr 7, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
