The Chicago Sky are heading into the 2025 WNBA season with one of the most radical strategic shake-ups in recent memory—and at the center of that storm is none other than Angel Reese.
Once celebrated for her energy, swagger, and dominance in the paint, Reese is now facing the biggest challenge of her young professional career. Reports have emerged that new Sky head coach Tyler Marsh has reassigned her to a dramatically different role—pulling her away from the basket and repositioning her as a stretch-four tasked with hitting mid-range jumpers. And sources close to the situation say Angel Reese is not taking the news well.
A Shocking Change
The news broke shortly after the Sky wrapped up their training camp scrimmages, where insiders noticed that Reese wasn’t posting up like she used to. Instead, she was frequently spotted on the elbows, floating in the mid-range, and trying to space the floor—a complete departure from her bread-and-butter paint game.
For a player who made her name battling under the rim, leading LSU to a national title, and dominating the glass, this transformation is as jarring as it gets. Reese’s response? Reportedly furious behind closed doors, with team sources describing her as “emotionally distraught” and “confused” about her future with the organization.
“She was blindsided,” one insider told the Chicago Sun-Times. “She thought this season would be about doubling down on what she does best. But Coach Marsh has a totally different vision.”
The Cold Truth: Numbers Don’t Lie
While fans might be stunned, basketball analysts aren’t. A look at the numbers from Reese’s rookie campaign reveals some glaring weaknesses in her inside game.
Her field goal percentage from within 5 feet of the basket? A dismal 39.1%, the worst in the entire WNBA among players with significant minutes.
Let that sink in.
These are high-percentage shots, the kinds of looks WNBA stars like A’ja Wilson finish at over 60-70%. Reese couldn’t even crack 40%. Her missed layups, awkward putbacks, and hesitation under the rim became a recurring issue last season—and a nightmare for the Sky’s offensive rhythm.
“There were stretches where she’d grab three offensive rebounds in a row and still come away with no points,” said one team scout. “You just can’t build a winning offense around that kind of inefficiency.”
From Paint Beast to Perimeter Shooter?
Rather than send her back to the lab to sharpen her post footwork and touch, Coach Marsh is taking a radically different approach. He’s attempting to reinvent Reese as a perimeter threat.
Let that sink in again.
Reese is being asked to hit 10 to 15-foot jumpers, develop catch-and-shoot skills, and become comfortable facing up defenders far from the basket. But here’s the kicker—her shooting mechanics are notoriously slow, with scouts calling her release “painfully delayed.”
In a league full of elite defenders who close out in milliseconds, that slow release is an enormous red flag.
“Changing your shot mechanics mid-career is like teaching a sprinter to swim,” said WNBA analyst Renee Montgomery. “It’s not impossible, but it takes years. And Reese is being asked to do it in a matter of months.”
The Fallout: Reese Lashes Out
Publicly, Reese has put on a brave face, telling reporters she’s “confident” she can adapt and that she’s “excited” about the new role. But sources close to the team paint a different picture.
“Angel was livid,” said one teammate anonymously. “She feels like they’re setting her up to fail. She came here to dominate the paint, not to become a jump shooter.”
According to insiders, the tension between Reese and Coach Marsh reached a boiling point during a recent team film session. After a string of mid-range bricks from practice were replayed, Reese reportedly stormed out, yelling, “This isn’t who I am! You’re trying to make me something I’m not!”
The moment left the locker room in stunned silence.
No Kennedy Carter, No Safety Net
Reese’s struggle is further complicated by the departure of Kennedy Carter, a dynamic guard who once absorbed defensive pressure and freed Reese to operate with more space. With Carter gone, opposing teams can now zero in on Reese, and her flaws are suddenly under a massive microscope.
Without that safety net, every missed jumper and every botched drive will be dissected and critiqued.
And make no mistake, the WNBA world is watching.
What’s the Endgame?
Coach Marsh insists this isn’t a demotion—but a reimagining.
“We believe Angel has the potential to stretch the floor and add new layers to her game,” Marsh said in a recent interview. “This isn’t about taking something away—it’s about unlocking more of what she can be.”
But many experts are skeptical.
“She’s not being given a new tool—she’s being asked to build a whole new toolbox,” said ESPN’s LaChina Robinson. “And it’s happening in the middle of her second season, under pressure, under lights, and under scrutiny.”
A Career at a Crossroads
So where does this leave Angel Reese?
Some believe this challenge could be the making of her. That it will push her out of her comfort zone and force her to evolve into a more versatile, multi-dimensional player.
But others fear it may be the start of a long and painful decline—especially if the shooting experiment fails and her confidence continues to erode.
For now, Reese is still with the team, still starting, and still trying. But the clock is ticking, and the preseason matchup against the Barcelona national team will be her first true test.
The fans will be watching. The critics will be waiting. And Angel Reese will be fighting not just for her role—but for the future of her basketball identity.
One thing’s for sure: the 2025 WNBA season just got a lot more interesting.