The Chicago Sky are set to unveil their new look offense under first-year head coach Tyler Marsh on Saturday. The Sky will play Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever at Gainbridge Fieldhouse at 2 p.m. CST on ABC.
Newcomers Courtney Vandersloot, Kia Nurse, and Ariel Atkins will make the offense more dynamic than last season, when the Sky predominantly let Chennedy Carter take charge. While Carter led the team in points, Chicago missed the playoffs with a 13-27 record.
Angel Reese primarily played in the post during her rookie season.
The No. 7 pick in the 2024 draft averaged 13.6 points, 13.1 rebounds (a league high), and 1.9 assists. Marsh had Reese playing point forward in the Sky’s preseason finale against the Minnesota Lynx on Saturday and wants her to contribute at various places on the floor this year.
Courtney Vandersloot wants Angel Reese to find a new niche
Credit: Getty Images
Vandersloot, who won a championship with the Sky in 2021 and spent the last two seasons with the New York Liberty, signed with Chicago in 2025.
The veteran and five-time WNBA All-Star told Jon Greenberg of The Athletic that she wants Reese to make a drastic change to her offensive game from last year, believing that she can do more than rebound to help improve the Sky’s record.
“Angel brings her own sense of dominance in terms of rebounding, and she’s a great screener. She’s a good distributor. So, yeah, we’re trying to figure it out…I think she has to find her niche, especially with another post player (in Kamilla Cardoso),” Vandersloot said. “I think the paint was kind of always hers, and now we have someone else that could dominate in the paint, too.
“So we’re finding ways for them to play off each other. But I think having her on the perimeter is going to be really good for her career. I think she handles the ball really well, which I didn’t know before I came here. She can pass it very well. So she has a lot of other skill sets other than just rebounding and layups. And I think we’ve got to tap into that.”
Will Reese make a drastic change to help the Chicago Sky?
Marsh has made similar statements in the preseason.
What remains to be seen is if Reese takes the advice, especially when she’s challenged by quality play in the WNBA. Her shooting percentage of 39.1 % was not great last season, especially coming from a post player.
Reese said during training camp that she wants to continue cleaning up the glass because “rebounds win championships.”
Reese’s rebounding title didn’t get Chicago to the playoffs in 2024, and hopefully, Vandersloot can help convince Reese to advance other parts of her game this season.
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Chicago Sky have unfortunate reaction to ‘mental health’ statement with Angel Reese
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