Angel Reese receives warm welcome back to Chicago with standing ovation: ‘Grateful for my opportunities’ with Sky

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Angel Reese receives warm welcome back to Chicago with standing ovation: ‘Grateful for my opportunities’ with Sky originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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As a new era for Angel Reese has begun this WNBA season, her last one officially closed on Wednesday night.

Weeks following her trade from the Chicago Sky to the Atlanta Dream, Reese was playing in Chicago as a visitor for a preseason matchup — and as an opponent against her old team, the new Atlanta star put up eight points, seven rebounds, two assists and three steals in 13 minutes.

However, it wasn't the result of the game that mattered much for Reese; she was welcomed back to Chicago by fans with open arms, receiving a standing ovation and tribute video from the Sky.

Here's a look at the Chicago crowd's reaction to Reese's return after being traded just weeks ago.

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Angel Reese receives standing ovation in Chicago return

In multiple ways, Reese received a warm return to Chicago. Without much to actually play for, the night wound up being more of a celebration for the former Sky star, from fans' signs to a tribute video being played in the arena.

After the first timeout, the Sky played the video with a "Thank You" message at the end. Reese was then shown by cameras as fans gave her a standing ovation.

"Just being grateful for my opportunities that I did have here my first two years, a lot of positives," Reese said postgame, per CBS Sports. "The fans came out and showed a lot of support for both teams. I'm really happy and grateful, and happy to be here with Atlanta now."

After the preseason matchup was over, Reese also embraced with her former Sky coach, Tyler Marsh.

"It was honestly the first time seeing her since the trade, so I was just telling her to 'go be great, go kill it,'" Marsh said Wednesday, per CBS Sports. "She's with a championship-caliber team, so you saw some of her talents and things that she can do with them tonight. She fits in perfectly and she'll be great."

While the Dream's regular season hasn't yet begun, Reese began flashing her talents for Atlanta against her former team in just 13 minutes.

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Angel Reese Sky-Dream trade

On Apr. 6, Reese, a two-time WNBA All-Star, was traded to Atlanta alongside 2028 second-round swap rights in exchange for first-round picks in 2027 and 2028.

The deal brought an end to her high-profile stint in Chicago, where she became a nightly double-double threat as a young forward, but also had public criticism of the team's front office toward the end of last season. She was suspended for half of a game following those comments.

"I'm not settling for the same s--- we did this year," Reese told the Chicago Tribune in September. "We have to get good players. We have to get great players. That's a nonnegotiable for me. I'm willing and wanting to play with the best.

"... I'd like to be here for my career, but if things don't pan out, obviously I might have to move in a different direction and do what's best for me. But while I am here, I'm going to try to stay open-minded about what I have here and maximize that as much as I can."

The trade also paired Reese with plenty of talent, including Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard, with Atlanta becoming a title contender for 2026.

"I'm beyond grateful for the opportunity to join the Atlanta Dream organization," Reese said following the trade, per ESPN. "I'm focused on continuing to grow my game, competing at the highest level, connecting with the fans, and giving everything I've got to the Dream."

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