Angel Reese reveals what she still misses about Chicago after trade to Dream

Angel Reese appears to be enjoying nearly every part of her fresh start with the Atlanta Dream. Nearly four months after the Chicago Sky traded Reese to Atlanta, the two-time WNBA All-Star is producing the best season of her young career. She has also joined a winning team after spending her first two years in the league with a rebuilding Sky franchise.

Reese recently described Atlanta as “perfect” for her, praising everything from the Dream organization to the city’s culture. However, there is still one thing about Chicago that she wishes she could have brought with her.

The food.

“I think the Southern hospitality is something that you just can’t beat,” Reese told Cosmopolitan when discussing the differences between Atlanta and Chicago. “But I do miss the food in Chicago. But the food in Atlanta is pretty good, too.”

Angel Reese has embraced her new home in Atlanta

Reese has plenty of reasons to feel good about her move. The 24-year-old forward is averaging career highs of 15.8 points and 1.8 steals per game while adding 11.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists. Her production has helped the Dream emerge as a playoff contender with an 18-10 record, good for fifth place in the WNBA standings.

Winning has been one of the biggest changes for Reese.

The Sky selected her with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, but Chicago never established itself as a serious contender during her two seasons with the franchise. The Sky finished 13-27 during her rookie year and missed the playoffs again in 2025.

Atlanta has offered Reese a chance to play meaningful basketball while continuing to develop her offensive game.

She has also quickly built relationships with her new teammates away from the court. Reese told Cosmopolitan that Dream players have been looking for activities they can enjoy together, including a recent interest in escape rooms.

“We’re trying to find things for us to do,” Reese said. “We just started going to little escape rooms.”

That chemistry appears to be carrying over into games. Reese has become a central piece of an Atlanta roster attempting to make a deep postseason run.

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Reese’s Chicago chapter ended with a major trade

Reese’s time in Chicago came to an end in April when the Sky traded her to the Dream. The deal represented a significant change for both sides. Chicago moved on from one of the league’s most recognizable young stars, while Atlanta added an elite rebounder who had already established herself as a nightly double-double threat.

Reese later made it clear that she welcomed the opportunity to leave, saying she “wanted to go” and considered Atlanta an ideal fit. Her comments about missing Chicago’s food do not suggest any regret over the trade. Instead, they show that Reese can appreciate what she left behind while embracing her next chapter.

Chicago’s culinary scene is famous for much more than deep-dish pizza and Italian beef. The city’s wide range of neighborhood restaurants makes food an understandable part of life there for Reese to miss.

Still, Atlanta has given her the Southern hospitality, team culture and winning environment she wanted.

Chicago may have an advantage at the dinner table in Reese’s eyes, but Atlanta has become home.

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