Angel Reese is in the WNBA Finals, but her Chicago exit raises questions about her winning mentality

Angel Reese has been talking about taking control of her destiny. With the Atlanta Dream preparing for the WNBA Finals, things have worked out pretty well for her. But OutKick wanted to know what, exactly, she meant by that.

Earlier this week, Reese told WSB-TV about "taking control of your destiny" and said, "I wanted to come to Atlanta." Those comments got people talking about how she ended up there, particularly the question of whether she forced her way out of Chicago.

Accounts sharing the interview clip mocked the defense that Reese never requested a trade and didnt "run from the grind." Theres a difference between formally asking for a trade and making your dissatisfaction known, and Reese had certainly done the latter.

Reese has blocked me on social media, so Im probably not her first choice for this conversation. Ive written critically about her and, even more often, . This was an opportunity to hear her explanation in person.

So, during Fridays WNBA Finals media availability, I asked her directly: "What role did you play in the trade?"

"I mean, they..." Reese began before trailing off, looking away, and pausing for about three seconds.

"I was being traded," she continued after the false start, turning her eyes back to me. "And I found out I was being traded, and luckily enough, I was able to work with Chicago and where I wanted to go. And Atlanta also wanted me, so it made sense for both of us. And Im happy just to be here."

Watching her answer, it seemed like she was being very cautious about what she wanted to say. She acknowledged helping choose the destination, but began by describing the trade as something happening to her.

It still seems strange that the Sky were looking to trade Reese in the first place, given how much Chicago invested in her.

The Sky traded up from No. 8 to No. 7 in the 2024 draft to select Reese. The deal included sending Minnesota a 2025 second-round pick and the right to swap first-round picks in 2026.

That 2026 pick became an expensive part of the story. In a separate trade the following year, Minnesota acquired Chicagos first-rounder outright in exchange for the No. 11 pick in the 2025 draft. The Lynx eventually used Chicagos selection on Olivia Miles, this seasons unanimous Rookie of the Year.

Then, after two seasons with Reese, Chicago traded her to Atlanta for first-round picks in 2027 and 2028. The organization went from spending draft capital to make sure it got Reese to deciding it would rather have future picks than keep her.

So, what happened in between?

Well, for one thing, Reese publicly criticized the roster.

"We have to get good players. We have to get great players. Thats a non-negotiable for me," she told the Chicago Tribune in September 2025.

ANGEL REESES LATEST WNBA CONTROVERSY SHOWS HOW VICTIMHOOD BECAME CENTRAL TO HER BRAND

She also said she wanted to spend her career in Chicago, "but if things dont pan out, obviously I might have to move in a different direction and do whats best for me."

The Sky suspended her for half a game over comments they called "detrimental to the team." Reese said she apologized to her teammates.

She never played another game for the Sky, remaining sidelined with a back i