Angel Reese Receives Warm Welcome During Chicago Return After Trade

Angel Reese’s connection with Chicagoans was bigger than basketball.

The Chicago Sky drafted Reese out of LSU with the seventh overall pick of the 2024 WNBA Draft, and just like that, Reese represented hope. She was supposed to be the face of the franchise - a face of the city - for years to come.

Instead, after only two seasons, the Sky traded Reese to the Atlanta Dream in exchange for two first-round draft picks on April 6. Reese called the trade a “breath of fresh air” during her April 17 introductory presser.

The two-time All-Star forward returned to Chicago as a member of the Dream for the Dream and Sky’s preseason game on Wednesday.

“I’m still happy,” Reese said pregame, per ESPN’s Kareem Copeland. “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.”

Reese was also shown gratitude throughout the evening.

Copeland reported from Chicago’s Wintrust Arena that a modest crowd “got loud to welcome” Reese during her player introduction. Among the fans there, one fan wore a Reese No. 5 Rose jersey from Unrivaled, and another wore a Washington Wizards Juju Reese jersey, per Colin Salao.

The Sky played a tribute video for Reese on the Jumbotron in the first quarter, and the crowd erupted at its conclusion:

Reese didn’t outwardly acknowledge the video, staying locked into whatever was happening in the Dream huddle. But, as she said, she’s focused on her future in Atlanta, and that future figures to be extremely bright.

The Dream are a threat to reach the WNBA Finals this season, as Reese joins an already potent core of Allisha Gray, Rhyne Howard, Jordin Canada, Brionna Jones, and Naz Hillmon.

“I do believe that Angel is the missing piece that we need to take us over the top,” Gray told ESPN’s Kendra Andrews.

The Dream will find out soon enough. Atlanta will open the 2026 WNBA regular season against the Minnesota Lynx on May 10.

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This story was originally published April 29, 2026 at 5:29 PM.