The Chicago Sky endured a challenging 103-86 loss to the Washington Mystics on Tuesday night. Reese led the Sky with a 22-point, 13-rebound double-double. Her teammate, Kamilla Cardoso, added 21 points and 10 rebounds. After the game, Reese revealed the message she shared with Cardoso, via Karli Bell.
"I tell her 'You're dominant. You're a great player. You just have to believe in yourself.' I continue to put that confidence in her," Reese said.
Reese continues to play well despite the Sky's struggles. Chicago is near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings, but Reese has continued to silence her critics. If the Sky are going to emerge as a contender, however, they will need more help around Reese.
Cardoso has displayed signs of becoming a star. The 24-year-old is still developing her consistency, but it is not difficult to imagine her becoming an All-Star in the WNBA. She entered Tuesday's game averaging 12.0 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.7 assists per outing. She was also shooting 51.5 percent from the field heading into Tuesday's matchup.
Cardoso is receiving a valuable opportunity with the Sky. The forward has started 20 of the 21 games she has appeared in so far in 2025 while averaging 24.8 minutes per game.
With Reese and Cardoso on the roster, the Sky feature the potential to contend within the next couple of seasons. Chicago needs to add extra depth and another scorer or two during the offseason, though. The Sky do not feature enough true scorers on the roster at the moment. Reese is being asked to handle much of the scoring duties, and although she is playing well, adding a perimeter threat to balance out the floor would help the overall situation.
The Sky -- after playing Tuesday's game in Washington -- will now return home for a four-game home stand. Chicago will host the Golden State Valkyries, Phoenix Mercury, Mystics and the Atlanta Dream. It will be an important home stand as the Sky hope to keep any chance of reaching the postseason alive.
Either way, Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso are clearly continuing to develop chemistry with one another on the floor. This is a rebuilding season for the team, but there are reasons to be optimistic. Both Reese and Cardoso have continued to improve, something that will surely excite fans of the Chicago Sky.
The Sky's next game is scheduled for 7:30 PM EST on Friday night against the Valkyries.