Angel Reese has been one of the few consistent performers for the struggling Chicago Sky this season.
Yet despite her league-leading rebounding numbers and ongoing double-double streaks, it was the 22-year-old forward who drew criticism this week-from within her own team.
Speaking to the Chicago Sun-Times, Sky general manager Jeff Pagliocca pointed to Reese’s fluctuating output and called on her to offer more.
“She’s had some great games, and she’s had some games like everybody else that haven’t been her best,” Pagliocca said.
“But she’s our best chance at versatility on this roster. We need more production out of her, but we need her to help us in other ways, too.”
The remarks didn’t sit well with Sky fans, many of whom have watched Reese emerge as the team’s emotional and statistical leader on a roster that has looked increasingly disjointed.
Reese is currently averaging 12.1 rebounds per game, top in the WNBA, and ranks among the Sky’s top scorers despite shooting just under 36 percent from the field.
Fans shift frustration to front office missteps
In the wake of Pagliocca‘s comments, social media erupted with criticism-not of Reese, but of the front office itself.
“She leads the league in rebounding and she’s the second-best 3-point shooter you have,” one fan posted. “Maybe look at the rest of the roster and the coaching.”
The critique from the GM comes amid growing dissatisfaction with the Sky’s direction.
Pagliocca‘s decision to part ways with head coach Teresa Weatherspoon earlier this season was already controversial, especially after she had earned praise for creating cohesion among the team’s younger core, including Reese and Chennedy Carter.
That move, followed by a trade that sent away the No. 3 overall draft pick for veteran guard Ariel Atkins, has left fans questioning whether the Sky are trying to build for the future or desperately patch a faltering present.
“She would have more assists if the team could shoot,” another fan posted on X, taking aim at the Sky’s lackluster offensive system.
Reese‘s turnover rate has crept up to 3.9 per game, but supporters argue that the burden she’s being asked to carry is outsized for a second-year player on a team without a stable identity.
Pagliocca‘s suggestion that Reese needs to “help us in other ways” drew particular scorn given that she has also shown versatility in defending multiple positions, crashing the boards, and energizing the locker room, despite playing for a team now 2-6 on the season.
Meanwhile, Reese hasn’t let the criticism shake her focus. She continues to lead by example, often speaking about staying grounded amid outside noise.
Her social media presence remains steady, with recent posts highlighting team moments and community events in Chicago.
As pressure builds around the organization, fans are increasingly vocal that the changes need to come from above, not from Angel Reese.
Many have begun pushing for the removal of Pagliocca entirely, arguing that his roster decisions, not his players, are what’s holding the Sky back.
For now, the rookie phenom keeps doing what she does best: grabbing boards, putting up points, and blocking out distractions, on and off the court.
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