ANGEL REESE may be a COACH KILLER! Candace Parker’s Statement on Tyler Marsh sends CLEAR MESSAGE!
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The Chicago Sky’s season is spiraling, and so is the public perception of their most-hyped rookie, Angel Reese. Once celebrated as a generational college star and a potential face of the WNBA, Reese is now under a harsh spotlight—one that’s only intensifying as her struggles mount and basketball legends weigh in.
In the aftermath of a humiliating loss to the Indiana Fever at the United Center, the conversation around Reese has shifted from optimism to skepticism. The latest blow came not from critics or rival fans, but from Candace Parker herself—a two-time WNBA MVP, three-time champion, and one of the most respected voices in women’s basketball.
Appearing on a podcast with Jemele Hill, Parker was asked directly about Reese’s development and the coaching situation in Chicago. While Parker praised Sky head coach Tyler Marsh as “one of the best coaches I have ever played for,” she didn’t mince words about Reese’s on-court struggles.
“She’s in a great situation,” Parker said of Reese and Marsh. “He’s a great skill developer…if he can’t elevate her game, then her game is probably not going to become elevated. Period.”
It was a diplomatic but pointed assessment. The implication: Reese is running out of excuses, and the onus is now on her to prove she belongs at this level.
The Sky’s recent blowout loss to Indiana was supposed to be a coming-out party for Reese, especially with the game moved to the cavernous United Center and broadcast in prime time. Instead, it exposed the team’s deepest flaws. With veteran Courtney Vandersloot sidelined, Chicago looked lost—and Reese, who many hoped would step up as a leader, delivered one of her worst performances yet.
She finished with just four points on 2-of-7 shooting, 12 rebounds (many off her own misses), and five turnovers in 27 minutes. Her shooting percentage for the season has plummeted to a dismal 30.9%, and she’s averaging just 9.1 points per game.
It’s not just the numbers. The eye test is damning: Reese looks overwhelmed by WNBA defenses, often getting blocked at the rim and struggling to create her own shot. Even her trademark rebounding is being questioned, with critics noting that many of her boards come from cleaning up her own missed attempts.
The narrative has shifted so drastically that some are now wondering if Reese, propped up by hype and a passionate fan base, is becoming what sports insiders call a “coach killer”—a player whose inability to elevate her game leads to a revolving door of coaches and organizational instability.
“They’re liable to go through four or five coaches before they finally accept what she is,” one analyst said bluntly. “And that’s not the superstar. It’s the fifth-best player on the team.”
It’s a harsh assessment, but the frustration is palpable. For a franchise desperate for a star to build around, the realization that Reese may not be that player is a bitter pill to swallow.
Adding to the pressure is the meteoric rise of Caitlin Clark, who has quickly established herself as the league’s premier playmaker and a bona fide box office draw. Candace Parker didn’t shy away from the comparison, praising Clark’s ability to make her teammates better and control the game as a floor general.
“Yes, she can shoot from the logo, but she makes her team better,” Parker said. “She’s already the best point distributor in the league. You see some of these passes and they’re freaking ridiculous.”
Parker also highlighted the rapid improvement of Aaliyah Boston, another young power forward, noting that Boston is “light years” ahead of Reese in terms of skill and impact.
The criticisms are specific and technical. Reese’s offensive game is limited, with a tendency to bring the ball down after rebounds—making her an easy target for shot blockers. She struggles to finish at the rim against elite defenders and often appears out of sync with her teammates.
Defensively, she hasn’t lived up to the billing either. Despite her size and athleticism, Reese is often caught out of position and has yet to establish herself as a reliable anchor on that end of the floor.
Even her much-touted rebounding prowess is under scrutiny. “I want to call her a great rebounder, but I can’t as long as she misses so many of her own shots and gets so many of her own rebounds,” one commentator noted.
For head coach Tyler Marsh, the situation is precarious. Praised by Parker and others as a top-tier developmental coach, Marsh’s reputation is on the line as he tries to unlock Reese’s potential. But as the losses pile up and the team’s confidence wanes, the pressure is mounting on everyone involved.
The Sky’s front office faces tough decisions. Do they double down on Reese as the centerpiece of their rebuild, or do they begin to look elsewhere for the star power needed to compete in a league that’s getting deeper and more talented every year?
Angel Reese’s WNBA journey is far from over. She remains a gifted athlete with room to grow, and the league is full of examples of players who struggled early before finding their footing. But the honeymoon period is over. The expectations are clear, and the margin for error is shrinking.
As Candace Parker’s comments echo across the league and social media debates rage on, one thing is certain: Angel Reese’s next moves—on and off the court—will be watched more closely than ever.
