The Chicago Sky are taking extra steps to make sure their basketball team is safe from perceived threats. Second-year forward Angel Reese receives a lot of hate online due to her outgoing nature both on and off the court.
In May, the WNBA investigated an alleged incident of racism stemming from a contest between the Indiana Fever and the Sky during their season opener on May 17 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. While the league did not find sufficient evidence of any wrongdoing, there have been repeated attacks on Reese on social media.
The Chicago Sky are partnering with Moonshot
On Tuesday, Chicago announced that they are partnering with Moonshot to help curb threats against the team online. Per a press release by Moonshot, the Sky became the first WNBA team to use the technology.
“Moonshot’s goal is not just to understand the problem, but to solve it,” the press release states. “Moonshot’s dedicated team of online security experts will use advanced technology to identify and remove concerning content, assess credible risks, take actions to mitigate harm, and help the Sky interpret the underlying drivers of online abuse.”
The partnership can help players like Angel Reese focus on basketball
Co-owner and operating chairman of the Sky, Nasia Rawlinson, said the goal in the partnership with Moonshot is to make it so their athletes and coaches can focus on basketball and not on abuse on online.
“The data is abundantly clear. Female athletes, especially women of color and members of the LGBTQIA+ community, face disproportionate amounts of online harassment, abuse, and threats of violence,” Rawlinson said. “Unfortunately, these incidents are increasing commensurately with the growth in women’s sports, sports betting, and use of artificial intelligence.”
another step forward in protecting our players🤝
we’re proud to partner with Moonshot to help keep our team safe from online threats and abuse. pic.twitter.com/CzGdzRHoQp
— Chicago Sky (@chicagosky) July 1, 2025
Per a study conducted by Moonshot, 92% of women in public life face abuse online, and 31% of that content is sexual. Given that the Sky are comprised of female athletes, Moonshot can help keep Reese and other athletes from being targeted.
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