Two years. That's all it took for the Chicago Sky to move on from their biggest bet.
Just 22 days before the 2026 WNBA season tipped off, the Sky front office made a move that raised more than a few eyebrows: they traded Angel Reese. For a player widely seen as the face of the franchise, many expected Chicago to build around her. Instead, the franchise chose a different path. And while fans are still processing the decision, one voice from Reese's inner circle has offered a grounded perspective.
As Reese prepared to face her former team for the first time—now in an Atlanta Dream jersey—her former teammate Hailey Van Lith broke her silence on the trade.
"Kind of like E, it was something that you saw, and you're surprised by. But also it's the nature of the business, and everyone's allowed to pursue their own personal endeavors," Van Lith said just hours before the Sky and Dream tipped off. "Our team is allowed to pursue their endeavors, and players are allowed to pursue their endeavors. It's a trade-off, and I hope the best for her."
"She deserves a place that she wants to be at and feels like it's a good environment for her. I'm really happy for her that she took that jump and, you know, looking forward to competing and playing against her today," she added.
Van Lith and Reese first shared the court at LSU, when HVL transferred from Louisville for her junior year to play under Kim Mulkey. At that time, Reese was a senior on the Tigers' roster. That one-year stint built a connection that carried into the pros, where they reunited after Van Lith was picked by the Sky in 2025. Together, they tried to steer Chicago through a difficult season that ended with a 10–34 record—one of the worst in franchise history.
Now, they find themselves on opposite sides once again. For the first time since the trade, Reese was back in Chicago. And she made sure to make the most of it.
In what marked both her debut for Atlanta and the team's first matchup against her former squad, Reese reminded everyone why she's one of the most impactful players in the league. Whether you agree with the trade or not, one thing is clear: Reese is ready to write the next chapter of her career—and she's doing it on her own terms.