The Chicago Sky entered this WNBA season with high hopes. They’d made bold moves in the offseason, trading for sharpshooter Ariel Atkins and putting their faith in rookie sensation Angel Reese—a player whose college career was defined by grit, rebounding, and swagger. The plan was simple: pair Atkins’ shooting with Reese’s relentless hustle, add in the size and promise of Camila Cardoso, and build a team that could make a serious playoff push.
But just two games into the season, those dreams have turned into a nightmare—and the rest of the league is watching the implosion in real time.
Record-Breaking… for All the Wrong Reasons
Let’s start with the numbers. The Sky have posted a staggering -60 point differential through their first two games, the worst start in WNBA history. No team has ever looked this outmatched, this quickly. In a league where most games are decided by single digits, Chicago is getting blown out by an average of 30 points per contest.
The low point came in a humiliating home loss to the New York Liberty, who torched the Sky with a record-setting 19 three-pointers. Chicago’s defense was nowhere to be found, and their offense—well, it was even worse. The Sky shot just 36.2% from the field, missing layup after layup while New York rained threes from every angle.
Angel Reese’s Nightmare Start
No one has felt the heat more than Angel Reese. Billed as the Sky’s new franchise cornerstone, Reese has stumbled out of the gate in spectacular fashion. Against the Liberty, she went 0-for-8 from the field, finishing with just two points in 27 minutes. She did grab 12 rebounds (eight on the offensive glass), but the story of her night was a viral sequence of missed layups—shots that should be automatic for any professional, let alone a highly touted rookie.
The numbers are brutal: Through two games, Reese is shooting just 5-of-22 from the floor—a dismal 22.7%. Even more alarming, she’s converted only four of her 17 attempts within five feet of the basket. That’s 23.5% on layups and close-range shots. For context, most WNBA forwards shoot around 45% overall.
Turnovers have compounded the misery. Reese currently leads the league with 10 giveaways in just two games, often losing the ball on careless passes or dribbles. Every time she touches the ball, there’s a real chance it’s going the other way.
Team Chemistry on Life Support
When your star player can’t buy a basket, frustration is inevitable. But what’s happening in Chicago goes far deeper than missed shots. Cameras caught Camila Cardoso, the Sky’s prized rookie center, physically distancing herself from the group every time Reese touched the ball. This wasn’t subtle. Cardoso, usually the epitome of composure, was literally moving away from her teammates on the bench—her body language screaming disappointment and disconnection.
After Reese missed her third straight layup in the third quarter, Cardoso’s shoulders slumped, and she shifted away from the team. For a player known for her professionalism, this public display of frustration was a red flag. When even your calmest, most respected teammate can’t hide her disappointment, you know the situation has reached a breaking point.
Reports have since emerged that Cardoso was initially excited about playing under new coach Tyler Marsh, who had sold her on a vision of a cohesive, competitive Sky squad. But after just two games, that optimism has evaporated. Cardoso’s visible frustration—caught on national television—says more than any postgame interview ever could.
A Locker Room Divided
It’s not just Cardoso. After the Liberty blowout, veteran point guard Courtney Vandersloot didn’t sugarcoat the team’s issues. “A lot of them are just dumb plays. Offensively we haven’t found a groove yet. A little out of rhythm. It will come with time. We have to work on our chemistry offensively,” she admitted. Vandersloot also cited spacing problems and confusion about how to position post players—a damning indictment of the coaching staff’s system.
Meanwhile, fans have turned on the team. Social media exploded with calls to “Free Camila Cardoso” and demands for drastic changes. Some are even suggesting the Sky should trade Reese away before things get worse.
Stat Padding and Social Media Backlash
The viral clip of Reese missing multiple layups, grabbing her own rebounds, and missing again sparked accusations of “stat padding.” Critics questioned whether Reese was more interested in boosting her rebounding numbers than actually scoring. The sequence became instant meme material, with one fan joking, “Is this real or looped somehow?”
Others pointed out the growing myth around Reese—a player hyped as Caitlin Clark’s rival, yet struggling to prove she belongs at the professional level. “You have to be part of some religious cult to actually believe that Angel Reese is some sort of effective big-time basketball superstar,” one commentator quipped.
Contrast with the Indiana Fever
While the Sky are falling apart, the Indiana Fever are showing the league what real chemistry looks like. After a tough loss to the Atlanta Dream, the Fever regrouped and bounced back with a statement win in the rematch. Caitlin Clark, even on a relatively off night, still managed 11 points, six assists, and four rebounds—while keeping her teammates engaged and the offense flowing.
Indiana’s coaching staff has built a system that creates open looks and maximizes each player’s strengths. Players like Lexi Hull and Sophie Cunningham have emerged as impact performers off the bench, bringing energy and focus. The Fever’s response to adversity—rallying together rather than falling apart—stands in stark contrast to the chaos in Chicago.
A Team at a Crossroads
The Sky’s dysfunction is more than a rough patch; it’s a system failure. When teammates can’t hide their frustration, when the offense is built on missed opportunities, and when fans are calling for trades after just two games, something is fundamentally broken.
Successful teams rally around their stars during tough stretches. They find ways to help struggling players and maintain positive energy. The Sky, instead, are unraveling in public, with every missed shot and every frustrated glance caught on camera.
If Chicago can’t fix its chemistry—and fast—this season could go down as one of the most disappointing in franchise history. Meanwhile, Caitlin Clark and the Fever are building something special, showing the rest of the league what’s possible when talent and teamwork come together.
The Bottom Line
2025 is shaping up to be a tale of two teams: one crumbling under the weight of its own expectations, the other rising on the strength of unity and resilience. For the Sky, the time for excuses is over. For Angel Reese, the pressure is on to prove she can be more than just a college legend. And for Camila Cardoso, the question is simple: How much longer will she put up with this experiment?
The season is young, but the urgency is real. The Sky must decide—will they rally together, or will this be the year everything falls apart? Stay tuned. The drama in Chicago is just getting started.