Angel Reese started her stint in Unrivaled with a defeat, yet she showcased what she’s got for the new 3-on-3 basketball league under the watchful eyes of her former head coach Teresa Weatherspoon.
Despite the loss during Opening Night, where Reese’s Rose team fell to Vinyl with a score of 79-73, the Chicago Sky star scored 10 points and notably grabbed 14 rebounds, highlighting her prowess above the rim in a game that features fewer players on court.
Rose is being steered by Dallas Wings assistant Nola Henry, but it was the appearance of Weatherspoon, now leading team Vinyl, that made headlines. Reese shared high praise for Weatherspoon who had picked her in the 2024 WNBA Draft when she was head coach of the Sky.
“I’ve had amazing coaches in my career but this one is special,” Reese said after Weatherspoon left the Sky. “She understands me, she believes in me. Shots that I take that I may not believe in, she wants me to take. After our pre-draft Zoom, I was like, ‘Please God let me go to Chicago.'”
Weatherspoon’s departure from the Sky was based on performance concerns. “First, I want to say I have a lot of respect for ‘Spoon,” general manager Jeff Pagliocca said at the time. “We’re very appreciative of the competitive teams, the resilient teams, the spirit she brought to us on the court every night. As an organization, we just felt it was time to make a change.”
While it underscored the unforgiving aspect of professional sports, Reese was taken aback as she navigated her new career in the WNBA post-college. “I’m heartbroken. I’m literally lost for words knowing what this woman meant to me in such a pivotal point in my life,” Reese wrote in an emotional statement on X.

(Image: Getty Images)
“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 you. You had a tough job. All the crazy circumstances that we went through this year and when your back was against the wall, you always believed.
“I came to Chicago because of YOU. You were an unsung hero in my life. We built a relationship in a short amount of time that will last forever.
“I’ll never question God why he brings people in my life and takes them away from me in the capacity that I need them but I’ve always believed everyone is in your life for a reason and a season. You were the best reason and season. You didn’t deserve this but I can’t thank you enough. I love you Tspoon.”