Back in September 2024, after head coach Teresa Weatherspoon got fired after just one season, Angel Reese told the Sun-Times: "I can't imagine playing for the Sky without [Spoon]. She's the one reason I wanted to come here."

Fast-forward to January 30, 2026. Weatherspoon is now coaching in Unrivaled. She recently joined Reese on her Unapologetically Angel podcast. There, amid laughs and real talk, Reese opened up about the coach who changed her game.

She highlighted how Weatherspoon held the young squad together through brutal losses. "Especially as rookies coming from such success, you don't understand how it is to lose," Reese said. "We didn't even expect it. With everything going on, you did a good job holding us together."

The Sky's roster was the league's youngest at the time. Both Reese and Kamilla Cardoso landed All-Rookie honors in 2024. That fueled Reese's record-shattering stats: 446 rebounds, 13.1 per game, and the most double-doubles by any WNBA rookie ever.

What worked for Reese was Weatherspoon's immense faith. "All I wanted was somebody that believed in me and trusted my work more than I even trusted myself sometimes," Reese shared.

"The outside noise says you don't belong, but you sat there believing, telling me nobody can take your joy from the game," Reese said. Follow that mantra, Reese stuck through 2024's struggles and beyond, even in her second year under new coach Tyler Marsh. Averaging 14.7 points and 12.6 rebounds per game.

Reese also broke her silence around Weatherspoon's exit from the Sky. The bond they built went deeper than one difficult season.

Angel Reese on Weatherspoon exit

Angel Reese didn't mince words. She called Teresa Weatherspoon's exit "very unfortunate" and said it straight to her face.

The record didn't tell the full story. Chicago went 13–27, third-worst in the conference. But that number missed what was building. Reese became a force on the boards under Weatherspoon.

The Sky still finished ahead of the Sparks (8–32) and Wings (9–31). Spoon knew how to use Reese's dominance. It showed, even when the wins didn't.

Weatherspoon also felt the Sky's decision was abrupt. No meeting. Just a call. "I'm always respectful… but I didn't get that," she said. "It wasn't the best feeling, their choice."

Still, Reese wrapped the podcast by appreciating Spoon's impact on her career. Tyler Marsh has now stepped in as the new head coach from the Aces staff, but what Reese and Spoon built still matters.

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Written by

Ishika Ghosh

Edited by

Sagnik Bagchi