Nobody saw it coming. Chicago-Sun Times reporter Annie Costabile's tweet came out of nowhere. The Chicago Sky fired Teresa Weatherspoon (subscription required) less than a year after hiring her.
Chicago finished two games back from the No. 8 seed with a 13-27 record. The Sky impressed during the first half of the season, but things fell apart after the Olympic break. Chennedy Carter missed time with an illness, and shortly after she returned, Angel Reese injured her wrist and had season-ending surgery. The injuries were too much for Chicago to overcome.
The Sky missed the playoffs, but that wasn't unexpected. Chicago lost more games than it did in 2023 when it posted an 18-22 record, but the Sky proved they're building something special. Reese is a double-double machine, Carter was one of the surprise players of the season, and Kamilla Cardoso settled in well after missing the start of the season.
Well, it seemed like Chicago was building something special. Shortly after Costabile reported that the Sky fired Weatherspoon, Reese responded to the news on X (Twitter) and posted pictures of herself and Weatherspoon on her Instagram story.
I’m heartbroken. I’m literally lost for words knowing what this woman meant to me in such a pivotal point in my life. She was the only person that believed in me. The one that trusted me. Many don’t even know what it’s like to be a black women in sports when nobody believes in…
— Angel Reese (@Reese10Angel) September 27, 2024
Angel Reese says she's "heartbroken" after Sky fire Teresa Weatherspoon
The WNBA is a business. Coaches come and go. However, it's hard to justify the Weatherspoon firing. It certainly doesn't help that the face of Chicago's franchise strongly disagrees with the move. It's not a good reflection on the Sky.
You'd think that Weatherspoon would've gotten more than a season, especially with a rebuilding team with new faces. It's worth wondering if Chicago pre-planned to fire Weatherspoon if she didn't lead the Sky to the playoffs. Or would that have made a difference?
With all due respect to Chicago, the Sky likely would've gotten swept in the first round by the Liberty like the Dream did. Did the front office want a playoff win? A series win?
Chicago's front office isn't required to make decisions based on how Reese feels. The front office's priority should be doing what's best for the organization. The issue is that firing Weatherspoon after less than a year was premature.
Reese and the Sky clearly don't see eye-to-eye. There are deeper issues within the organization that are worrisome (that don't pertain to Reese). Chicago's future doesn't look so bright anymore. It will be interesting to see who the Sky hire to replace Weatherspoon. The pressure is on.