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By Matthew Couden
Contributing Writer
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Wednesday night brought a return to Chicago for Angel Reese after her former WNBA team, the Sky, traded her to the Atlanta Dream this offseason.
The deal came after the drama late last season involving Reese's frustrations with her squad. After her criticisms became public, she received a half-game suspension amid another season in which the team failed to achieve anywhere near a winning record.
With that, the Sky decided to trade her to Atlanta earlier this month and begin building a new roster that includes forward Rickea Jackson, seven-time All-Star Skylar Diggins, forward Azura Stevens, and guard DiJonai Carrington. They also drafted UCLA champion Gabriela Jaquez for additional help in the backcourt.
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Meanwhile, Reese is hoping that with a new team will come success. She and the Sky failed to reach the playoffs during her two seasons there, but there is some hope that this Atlanta team has the talent to contend.
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Ahead of her new team hosting her in a preseason game, Reese shared her thoughts about the offseason trade and returning to Chicago with ESPN's Kareem Copeland. She indicated she was "happy to be back" at a "familiar place" and considers Chicago a potential home.
That said, she's also enthusiastic about joining her new team in Atlanta after just a few seasons with the Sky.
"I'm still happy. I'm grateful for my time here in Chicago. I experienced a lot of great things, but I'm just happy to start this new journey. Being able to be with the Dream here. It feels awkward being in a different locker room when I'm so used to being in the other locker room. But I'm really grateful. I'm thankful, and I'm looking forward to this new start," she said.
In two seasons with Chicago, she averaged 14.1 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game. She was a two-time All-Star, but the Sky finished 13-27 and 10-34 in those two seasons.
Reese questioned her team last September, specifically why they relied on veteran Courtney Vandersloot and indicated they needed more experienced players on the roster. While she apologized, it resulted in her half-game suspension and ultimately the trade that arrived weeks ago, sending her to Atlanta.
As of this writing, Reese's new squad held a 10-point lead on the Sky in the third quarter of their meeting, with Reese recording eight points, seven rebounds, three steals, and two assists. While it's only the preseason, it must be something Reese is delighted about with her new squad, giving her added confidence about her new situation.
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