The Chicago Sky’s 2025 WNBA season is spiraling, and General Manager Jeff Pagliocca isn’t sugarcoating the situation. After a promising 2-0 start, the team has now dropped five of its last six games, including a brutal 88-70 blowout against the Atlanta Dream.
The loss highlighted a disturbing trend: a pattern of collapses in the second half, particularly in the fourth quarter. The defeat capped a stretch of three consecutive losses by a combined 64 points to the Indiana Fever, New York Liberty, and Dream.
Pagliocca’s postgame remarks have added fuel to the fire, particularly his candid comments about rising star Angel Reese. While acknowledging her potential, he also emphasized that the second-year forward must be more consistent in her scoring. “She led us with 17 against New York, but that needs to happen every night,” he noted.
Against Indiana, Reese shot just 4-of-10 from the field for 12 points and ended with a minus-14 plus/minus rating. Her performance, while statistically solid in areas like rebounding, hasn’t yet translated into consistent offensive impact.
Pressure mounts as losses pile up
In an interview with the Chicago Tribune, Pagliocca didn’t hold back when discussing the team’s recent skid. “We’re going to get killed until we start winning games,” he said bluntly. “Tyler [Marsh] will get killed, I’ll get killed. We’re used to it.”
Acknowledging that both he and head coach Marsh are on the hot seat, Pagliocca made it clear that accountability isn’t limited to the players. “Roster construction, schemes – it all needs to be better. This isn’t just on the team; it’s on us too.”
The season-ending injury to veteran guard Courtney Vandersloot has also shaken the team’s leadership dynamic. Pagliocca sees it as a potential wake-up call. “These blowouts should embarrass people into playing harder,” he said, pointing to increased practice hours and players “looking in the mirror” as signs of a shift in mentality.
There is, however, a silver lining. The Sky’s upcoming schedule is packed with winnable games. A matchup against the struggling 2-7 Connecticut Sun awaits, followed by contests against the Washington Mystics, Phoenix Mercury, LA Sparks, and Golden State Valkyries – all teams hovering below .500. According to ESPN’s analytics, the Sky have a 50.6% chance of defeating the Sun.
These games offer a critical opportunity for Reese and the Sky to turn things around. With the heat rising on the front office and coaching staff, improvement must come quickly – or more than just games will be lost.
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