There might be a seismic change in the WNBA after the Atlanta Dream traded for one of the league’s best-known stars, Angel Reese, as the Chicago Sky gave up the center for two first-round picks.
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The Chicago Sky announced the trade on April 6, weeks after the players’ union and the league agreed on a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA).
“The Sky are trading Angel to the Dream in exchange for two first-round picks. This trade is designed to achieve roster balance and represents a great opportunity for all parties,” General Manager Jeff Pagliocca said in a written statement. “Angel has achieved many record-breaking milestones in her first two years in the WNBA and has been a competitive force for the Sky. We are thankful for her many important contributions to this league and this game, and we know she will continue to have a big impact on the court and beyond. We wish Angel all the best in her next chapter.”
The Dream went on social media to share a welcoming post for the incoming center.
The Sky will receive a 2027 first-round pick and a 2028 first-round pick from the Dream, and will send a second-round pick swap in 2028.
Reese’s WNBA life, while great on the basketball court, setting records in the process, has not translated to a lovefest between her and the Sky in her two years in the organization. She seemingly pissed off the executives and teammates on the Sky when she chastised other players after saying that they needed better players. Reese apologized to the team, staff, and teammates afterward. However, she was suspended for a half-game, and the outlook for her staying with the team was no longer positive.
Now that she is in Atlanta, she could become the face of professional basketball in a town that is represented by the likes of Jermaine Dupri, T.I., Ludacris, 2 Chainz, and many others. After Trae Young was traded earlier this year from the Atlanta Hawks, it looks like the spot the young ballplayer had will be taken by Reese if she continues to play the type of basketball she has been displaying since she played for the likes of Louisiana State University.
The outspoken Maryland-raised Reese, known as the Bayou Barbie during her time at LSU, was already a prominent player at the school but was elevated after her on-court rivalry with the Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark, the darling of NCAA Women’s Basketball (when she played for the University of Iowa). After being able to outshine Clark with her play on the court, she was handed the villain’s role when she waved her fingers across her face, mimicking Clark’s move she had done in a previous game during the NCAA Tournament. From the media’s standpoint, Reese had become a villain, pitting the classic Black-versus-white setting, as both continued stellar play through their collegiate careers, mirroring the Magic Johnson/Larry Bird rivalry that was set up while both men played in college and extended into the NBA.
Now, with Atlanta as her home, Reese can add to the cultural impact that the Georgia city has had for years now, with it being the hub for Black culture, sports, and entertainment (Magic City, Tyler Perry Studios, the city’s reputation for partying, along with the HBCUs in the state), Reese can thrive more in Atlanta than she could ever in the Windy City of Chicago, Atlanta heads are rejoicing!
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