Angel Reese’s return to Chicago already has plenty of emotion attached to it, but she is not treating it like a revenge game.
After being traded from the Chicago Sky to the Atlanta Dream, Reese is stepping back into a familiar building with a new team, new expectations and a very different situation around her.
Her exit from Chicago came after a difficult season filled with injury concerns, suspension drama, and questions about the team’s direction.
But ahead of facing her former team, Reese kept the tone positive.
Speaking to CBS News Atlanta, Reese made it clear she still has love for Chicago.
“Just another exciting opportunity for me to be in Chicago. I loved my experience there. It was amazing. Seeing a lot of familiar faces on Wednesday is going to be good,” Reese said.
That response suggests Reese is not leaning into bitterness despite how her Sky tenure ended.
Instead, she is framing the matchup as a chance to reconnect with familiar faces while beginning a new chapter with Atlanta.
Reese was traded to the Dream on April 6, 2026, with Chicago receiving first-round picks in 2027 and 2028 as part of the deal.
The move came after a turbulent 2025 season, in which Reese publicly pushed for the Sky to improve the roster and was later suspended for comments deemed detrimental to the team.
She also dealt with injury issues, including a back problem that sidelined her late in the season, adding another layer to an already complicated finish in Chicago.
On the court, though, her value was never in question. Reese led the WNBA in rebounding in 2025, averaging 12.6 boards per game while also putting up 14.7 points.
That is why Atlanta’s move was seen as aggressive. The Dream added one of the league’s best rebounders to a roster with bigger ambitions, while Chicago shifted toward draft capital and a reset.
For Reese, the first meeting against the Sky is not just another preseason moment. It is the first public look at how she handles closing one chapter while trying to elevate the next one.
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