The Chicago Sky has made the decision to dismiss head coach Teresa Weatherspoon after less than a year in the position.

The Sky issued a statement on social media on Friday which read, “After thoughtful evaluation, we believe it is best for the organization to part ways with head coach Teresa Weatherspoon.”

Weatherspoon joined the Sky as head coach in October 2023 after James Wade left to pursue an assistant coaching role in the NBA in July 2023. Under Weatherspoon, the injury-plagued Sky ended the season with a 13-27 record, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2018, partly due to Angel Reese’s season-ending wrist injury.

The Sky expressed their gratitude in a statement, saying, “We greatly value Coach TSpoon’s impact on the team and the enthusiasm she brought to her role as head coach. We thank her for fostering a spirit of competition and resilience in our players. TSpoon will always be part of the Skytown family, and we wish her nothing but the best moving forward.”

Angel Reese, who was selected by the Sky as the No. 7 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA draft after her time at LSU, expressed her heartbreak over Weatherspoon’s firing, stating that she felt Weatherspoon “didn’t deserve this.”

In a heartfelt social media message, Reese shared, “I’m truly at a loss for words thinking about what this woman meant to me during such a crucial moment in my life. She was the only one who believed in me, the one who had faith in my abilities. Many people don’t understand what it’s like to be a black woman in sports, especially when nobody has your back. You faced a challenging situation. Despite all the difficult circumstances we encountered this year, you continued to believe in me when times were tough. I came to Chicago because of YOU. You were a quiet hero in my journey.”

Reese continued, “We developed a bond in a short period of time that will last forever. I don’t question God’s reasons for bringing people into my life and then taking them away in ways I might not understand. I believe everyone crosses your path for a reason and has a role to play. You were the best reason and season. This wasn’t right, but I’m endlessly grateful. I love you, Tspoon.”

Weatherspoon, who played with the New York Liberty and the Los Angeles Sparks from 1997 to 2004, was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010 and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019.

Prior to coaching the Sky, Weatherspoon led Louisiana Tech University from 2009 to 2014 and was an assistant coach for the New Orleans Pelicans from 2020 to 2023.