The Chicago Sky had a difficult season, experiencing highs and lows as they battled to maintain their WNBA competitiveness. The squad was forced to fight through difficult times after the Olympics, including crucial injuries and a difficult post-Olympic period.
Leading the Sky through the storm was head coach Teresa Weatherspoon. However, that chapter ended abruptly on Thursday night.
The dynamic player Angel Reese, who had come to Chicago primarily because of Weatherspoon, took to social media to share her pain. Reese considered the influence the coach had on her career in an emotional post, highlighting the close bond they quickly developed.
“I’m heartbroken,” Reese wrote. “She was the only person that believed in me at such a pivotal moment in my life.” Reese didn’t mince words about the significance of Weatherspoon’s role, especially as a Black woman in a leadership position.
The Chicago Sky had cut ties with Weatherspoon after just one season, as first reported by ESPN. Less than a year after the team signed her, they made the decision to assemble a more formidable and competitive team.
When Weatherspoon was hired on October 12 of last year, it was thought to be a risky move that would start a new chapter in the franchise’s history. Regretfully, a 13–27 record and a string of setbacks forced Sky to reevaluate their plans.
Weatherspoon was credited for keeping Chicago in the running for the playoffs for most of the season, despite her brief tenure. Things didn’t really start to fall apart until the Sky had a late-season collapse and finished with a 3-13 record after the Olympics
Star forward Angel Reese suffered a wrist injury in early September that resulted in the loss of the team’s most important player. The decision to fire Weatherspoon shocked fans, but some assumed it was inevitable given the team’s dismal play.
