There's uncertainty surrounding the2026 WNBA season amid ongoing CBA negotiations, but it's business as usual forChicago SkyAll-StarAngel Reese, who made her intentions for next season clear.
"I'm under contract, so yes I plan on returning to the Sky," said Reese, who is attending Team USA training camp this weekend at Duke. Reese's blunt confirmation comes after a tumultuous end to her sophomore WNBA season, which left some wondering whether a split was on the horizon.
Reese was handed a half-game suspension on Sept. 7 for statements detrimental to the team after vocalizing her frustrations with the franchise, telling the Chicago Tribune she's "not settling for the same s--- we did this year," among other comments. She missed the remaining two games of the season due to a back injury and the Sky finished tied at the bottom of the standings at 10-34, the team's third consecutive losing season.
The two-time All-Star cleared the air on Friday in her first media availability since September.
LSU Tigers forward Angel Reese drives around South Carolina's Laeticia Amihere in the second half at Colonial Life Arena on Feb. 12, 2023." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Purdue's Rickie Woltman dribbles under the net against Maryland's Angel Reese during the fourth quarter of an NCAA women's basketball game on Feb. 25, 2021, at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Purdue's Nyagoa Gony goes up for a shot against Maryland's Angel Reese during the second quarter of an NCAA women's basketball game on Feb. 25, 2021, at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Maryland Terrapins head coach Brenda Frese and Angel Reese hug after their game against Northwestern at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on March 12, 2021." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Iowa's Caitlin Clark and Maryland's Angel Reese react to a call during a Big Ten conference game on Feb. 14, 2022, at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Maryland's Angel Reese flexes during an NCAA Big Ten conference game against Caitlin Clark and Iowa on Feb. 14, 2022, at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Maryland's Angel Reese celebrates after forcing a turnover against Iowa's Caitlin Clark during a Big Ten game on Feb. 14, 2022, at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Maryland's Angel Reese and teammates celebrate after a Big Ten game against Iowa on Feb. 14, 2022, at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Angel Reese: WNBA star, LSU national champion, 'Bayou Barbie' and Caitlin Clark rival
LSU Tigers forward Angel Reese drives around South Carolina's Laeticia Amihere in the second half at Colonial Life Arena on Feb. 12, 2023.
USA BASKETBALL:Paige Bueckers, 'young and turnt' rookies bring swag to Team USA camp
MORE:Caitlin Clark 'finally back to 100%' at Team USA camp after injury-filled season
Reese said she'll ride out her rookie-scale contract that could keep her with the Sky through 2027. "I'm continuing to talk to Tyler (Marsh) and building that relationship with Jeff (Pagliocca)," Reese added, referring to Sky head coach Tyler Marsh and Sky general manager Jeff (Pagliocca).
Before Reese can tipoff her third season in the league, however, the WNBA and WNBPA must agree on a new collective bargaining agreement. The current CBA is now set to expire on Jan. 9, 2026 following a pair of extensions, but Reese said she's "preparing for a season as everyone else is."
"I think it's important to be really involved ... especially for me and my class going forward," Reese said. "I think everybody's very intentional about what we want. ... So I'm preparing for a season like everybody else's, but we have to come to a negotiation. It's really important for us to come to a common ground that we can all agree on. It's all fair and everybody benefits from it."
Reese said her focus for the year is "being completely healthy." Her rookie WNBA season was cut short by a hairline fracture in her wrist. She reaggravated the injury during the inaugural season of Unrivaled in March and was sidelined for the final stretch of the 2025 WNBA season with a back injury.
Reese said her back is fully recovered and "all good now."
"I recovered at the end of the season. ... Just continuing to do recovery on my whole entire body and figuring it out," Reese said. "Going into Year 3, that was my focus this offseason, just being completely healthy.
"Obviously USA is something that I'm never going to pass up on, so I had to do this, but being able to be in this moment here and embracing it, but also being healthy at the same time."
Reese is among 10 players making their senior national team debut at the Team USA training camp this weekend. Paige Bueckers dubbed the group the "young and turnt" crew, which Reese fully endorses.
"I've watched Sue (Bird) and I've watched Kara (Lawson) when they were part of the USA team and being able to walk in their footsteps I think is something that you don't take for granted," she said. "I've dreamed of playing for the Olympics and especially for LA, because I want to represent this country well."
Angel Reese is locked in, getting extra reps in after Day 1 of Camp 👏#USABWNTpic.twitter.com/Iln8QzNMRq
— WNBA (@WNBA)December 12, 2025
Team USA women's head coach Kara Lawson said she was impressed by Reese's first practice, noting that this is the first significant time she's spent up close and personal with Reese.
"I hadn't spent a lot of time with Angel before," Lawson said. "She's great. Got a great personality, works hard in the practices, wants to be good, coachable, just all of the things you would expect from a good young player, and she's physical competitive, so I thought it was great to see that. I mean, that's kind of what you expect, but it's good to see that."
Lawson said she hasn't determined how she'll utilize Reese just yet, but USA women's national team managing director Sue Bird pointed at how Reese's ability to expand her position will be beneficial to the team.
"Whether it's a post player being able to initiate an offense, whether it's guards who can use post play to their advantage. I think that's just like the modern game that we're seeing. So I love to see it," Bird said. "Anytime you can have players on the court that can do multiple things, it's so advantageous to your whole group. So to see a player like Angel (Reese) putting that in her package, I think that's great. It's great for her. It's great for us."
The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast.Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Angel Reese confirms return to Chicago Sky amid 2026 WNBA uncertainty
