The Chicago Sky made a surprising move on Thursday, as they reportedly fired coach Teresa Weatherspoon after just one season.
The Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer was hired last October, becoming the eighth coach in Sky history. She took over a team that went 18–22 and snuck into the playoffs the year before she arrived.
In her first and only year as the Sky coach, the team went 13–27 and finished with the worst record in the Eastern Conference.
Still, at least one member of the Sky was unhappy with the decision—the new face of the franchise, Angel Reese. She posted a long message on social media after the news hit saying she was “heartbroken” and that Weatherspoon was the only person who believed in her this year.
“You didn’t deserve this but I can’t thank you enough,” Reese wrote. “I love you Tspoon.”
I’m heartbroken. I’m literally lost for words knowing what this woman meant to me in such a pivotal point in my life. She was the only person that believed in me. The one that trusted me. Many don’t even know what it’s like to be a black women in sports when nobody believes in…
— Angel Reese (@Reese10Angel) September 27, 2024
While the team didn’t achieve great success during Reese’s rookie season, Reese immediately established herself as one of the best rebounders in WNBA history. Reese averaged 13.6 points and 13.1 rebounds per game, the highest average in league history. She also finished with the second-most total rebounds in league history, right behind MVP A’ja Wilson, who was able to grab five more rebounds in four extra games.
