Details on Teresa Weatherspoon's firing shed new light on Angel Reese's emotional tribute

Fresh details about the dismissal of former Chicago Sky head coach Teresa Weatherspoon have shed new light on Angel Reese's emotional farewell.

Weatherspoon was given her marching orders last month after leading Chicago to a disappointing 13-27 record in her debut season. The Sky subsequently failed to qualify for the WNBA playoffs, marking the first time since 2018 that they hadn't made the cut.

Annie Costabile of the Chicago Sun-Times has offered further insight into why Weatherspoon was let go two weeks after her firing .

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According to the report, the 58-year-old struggled to keep the Sky "schematically prepared" and didn't use rookie Kamilla Cardoso effectively in attack.

However, Weatherspoon's most glaring misstep was her alleged favouritism towards certain players. League sources suggest the ex-WNBA player "had lost the locker room because of a culture that catered to the needs of a few players."

Weatherspoon's departure was a bitter pill to swallow for many of her players, perhaps none more so than Reese. The 22 year old took to social media to write a heartfelt tribute - leading some to speculate that the message might imply she received special treatment from her former coach.

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"I'm heartbroken," she penned. "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 woman 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."

In a subsequent interview with the Sun-Times, Reese admitted that she couldn't envision a future in Chicago without Weatherspoon by her side, stating: "I can't imagine playing for the Sky without [Spoon].

She's the one reason I wanted to come here. "Following Reese's bold statement, Sky GM Jeff Pagliocca confirmed that tensions have eased, and the LSU product is content to be in Chicago. "The franchise's relationship with Angel is in a good spot," he said."

Emotions were high for a couple days and we can respect that.

We can appreciate it. We understand that there's bonds that are built with coaches and players, especially the young ones.

""So, we're in a good place right now. We're back in discussions. Everything has calmed down quite a bit, but I understand it. Emotions are a real part of this thing when you have a real friendship."

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