Angel Reese may have already known her time with the Chicago Sky was coming to an end.

For months, reports of tension between Reese and the franchise had continued to circulate. Back in September, the Sky suspended Reese for one half of a game over what the team described as “statements detrimental to the team,” after she publicly criticized the organization.

In an interview with the Chicago Tribune, Reese made it clear that she expected major changes.

“I’m not settling for the same s— we did this year,” Reese said.

She later added:

“I am very vocal about what we need and what I want. I’d like to be here for my career, but if things don’t pan out, obviously, I might have to move in a different direction and do what’s best for me. But while I am here, I’m going to try to stay open-minded about what I have here and maximize that as much as I can.”

Those comments only added to the growing belief that Reese’s future in Chicago was uncertain. At one point, speculation on social media became so intense that some critics even accused her of exaggerating injuries to avoid playing for the team. Although the noise around the situation eventually died down, many believed the relationship between Reese and the Sky had already reached a breaking point.

In the end, the split became official.

Reese, the 2023 NCAA women’s basketball national champion at LSU and a two-time WNBA All-Star, was traded from the Chicago Sky to the Atlanta Dream. Drafted seventh overall by Chicago in the 2024 WNBA Draft, she had once been viewed as a cornerstone of the franchise and a player the organization could build around for years.

Instead, her time in Chicago ended far sooner than many expected.

Not long after news of the trade broke, Reese posted a fresh photo shoot featuring her new team gear. The timing of the post immediately caught attention online, with Caitlin Clark among those who appeared to notice how quickly Reese had transitioned into her next chapter. To some observers, the speed of the reveal suggested Reese may have had an idea the move was coming.

During her time in Chicago, Reese established herself as one of the league’s most dominant rebounders. She was leading the WNBA in rebounding late in the season before suffering a fractured wrist that led to season-ending surgery. For many, that moment felt like the beginning of the end of her Sky tenure, as signs increasingly pointed to the possibility that she had played her final game for the franchise.

Despite the injury setback, Reese continued to develop as a player. She improved her scoring average in her second season and earned All-Star recognition for the second consecutive year. Still, Chicago struggled to turn individual progress into team success.

Now, Reese gets a fresh start with an Atlanta Dream team that won 30 games in 2025 and appears to offer a stronger competitive foundation. For Reese, the move could represent exactly what she had been hinting at for months: a new direction and a better opportunity to grow.

While the full story behind the trade may never be known, one thing is clear — Angel Reese looked more than ready for her next destination.